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REV.   LOUIS    FITZGERALD    BENSON,  D.  D. 

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PRINCETON  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 


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THE 


SEVEN    GREAT    HYMNS 


ittrtnarbal  ©fturd). 


Thou  haft  no  fhore,  fair  Ocean  ! 
Thou  haft  no  time,  bright  Day ! 
Dear  Fountain  of  refrefhment 
To  pilgrims  far  away  ! 


NEW    YORK: 

ANSON    D.    F.    RANDOLPH, 

770  Broadway,   cor.   of  9TH   St. 
1855. 


Entered  according  to  A£\  of  Congrefs,   in  the  year  186^, 
By   ANSON   D.  F.   RANDOLPH, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  Diftrift  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the 
Southern   Diftrid  of  New  York. 


AI.VORD,     PRINTER. 


TO    THE    READER. 


r  1  ^HIS  work  was  fuggefted  bv  the  intereft 
-*-  felt  in  Mr.  Prime's  little  book,  the  hvmn, 
cc  O  Mother  Dear'  Jerusalem"  It  is  publifhed 
with  a  wifh  that  it  fhall  be  placed  befide  his, 
and  that,  finding  the  fame  welcome,  it  mav  yield, 
or  perhaps  revive,  the  fame  pleafure  and  receive 
the  fame  approval. 

To  fave  from  years  belonging  to  the  dark- 
ened paft  thoughts  of  real,  undeparted  worth — 
to  clothe  thefe  utterances  in  a  drefs  neither  too 
common  for  the  requirements  of  our  tafte,  nor 
too  good  for  our  dailv  uk  —  to  do  this  in  the 
hope    that    purer    eves    will   often    reft    upon   its 


iv  To  the  Reader. 

pages,  and  a  holy  faith  find  refrefhment  in  its 
imagery — that  fome  one  better  than  its  author 
will  keep  it  always  near,  a  fecret,  fvmpathetic 
friend  for  lonely  hours,  or  gather,  in  forrow, 
from  its  fentences  the  confolation  which  thev 
poffefs — confeffes  the  object  for  which  it  has 
exifted,  and  to  which  it  is  devoted. 

New  York,  O&ober,  1865. 


CONTENTS. 


The  Celestial  Country  i 

Dies   Ir^     .                                .......  44 

Stabat  Mater       ........      84 

Vi.Ni  Sancte  Spiritus                                                  .  94 

Veni   Creator   Spiritus             .          .          .,          .          s  .102 

Vexilla  Regis   .          .          .          .          .          .          0  ic8 

The   Alleluiatic  Sequence   -          .          .          .          .  .114 


Afpendix 


THE 

CELESTIAL    COUNTRY. 


BERNARD  DE  MORLAS,  monk  of  Clu- 
ni,  is  not  to  be  confounded  with  the  great 
Bernard  his  contemporary,  Abbot  oi  Clairvaux, 
and  Saint  in  the  Romifh  calendar.  The  place 
of  his  nativity  is  uncertain,  and  the  years  of  his 
birth  and  of  his  death  are  alike  unknown.  He 
lived  during  the  firft  half  of  the  twelfth  cen- 
tury ;  he  was  born,  according  to  one  authority, 
at  Morlaix,  in  Bretagne  ;  according  to  another, 
at  Morlas,  in  the  lower  Pyrenees  ;  whilft  a  third 
gives  his  birth-place  to  England,  and  claffes  him 
with  her  illuftrious  writers  (De  illufiribus  Anglia 
Scriptoribus),1  After  feven  centuries  of  com- 
parative forgetfulnefs,  the  genius  of  two  Englifh 
fcholars  has  revived  a  portion  of  his  works  ;  and 
hereafter  his  name  will  be  beft  known  in  that 
country,  which  may  poffiblv  poffefs  his  birth- 
place. 


2  'the  CelejlLd  Ojii u try. 

There  ftill  furvive  of  his  writings  five  poems, 
the  greateft  of  which  is  De  Contemptu  Mundl. 
It  was  written  about  1145,  and  contains  three 
thoufand  lines,  divided  into  three  books.  In 
fubftance  the  poem  is  a  fatire,  unforgiving  and 
fevere  :  in  form  it  is  in  dactylic  hexameter  verfc, 
wherein  each  line  confifts  of  three  parts,  and 
two  of  thefe  parts  rhyme  with  each  other,  while 
the  lines  themfelves  are  in  couplets  of  double 
rhyme.  It  is  a  verfe  pedantically  called  "  leonine 
"  and  tailed  rhyme,  with  lines  in  three  parts, 
"between  which  a  caefura  is  not  admifiible."2 

The  poem  commences  thus  : 

Hora  nov'is/ima,  ||  tempora  pes/ima  ||  funt,  vigik?««5. 
Ecce  m'maciter  ||  imminet  arbiter  ||  ille  fuprcmus. 
Imminet,  imminct  ||  et  mala  terminct,  ||  aequa  coronet, 
Redla  remuncm,  ||  anxia  Wbcrct,  ||  sethera  donct, 
Auferat  afpera  ||  duraque  pondera  ||  mentes  onufta?, 
Sobria  muniat,  ||  improba  ytuniat,  ||  utraque  jujie. 

Hours  of  the  latefr. !   times  of  the  bafeft  !   cur  vigil  before  us. 
Judgment  eternal  of  Being  fupernal  now  hanging  o'er  us  ! 
iK'il  to  terminate,  equity  vindicate,  cometh  the  Kingly  5 
Righteoufnefs  feeing,  anxious  hearts  freeing,  crowning  each  finely. 
Bearing   life's  wearinefs,  tailing  life's  bitternefs,  life  as  it  muft  be, 
Tli'  righteous  retaining,  fmners  arraigning,  judging  all  juftly. 


The  Celeftial  Country.  3 

This  verfe,  fo  difficult  that  the  Englifh  lan- 
guage is  incapable  of  expreffing  it,  is  continued 
through  the  three  thoufand  lines  of  the  poem. 
In  his  preface  the  monk  avows  the  belief  that 
nothing  but  the  fpecial  infpiration  of  the  Spirit 
of  God  enabled  him  to  employ  it  through  fo 
long  a  poem.  After  recounting  its  difficulties, 
and  alluding  to  the  faint  attempts  of  the  two 
great  verfifiers  of  his  dav,  Hildebert  de  Lavar- 
din  and  Wichard  of  Lyons,  he  exclaims  :  "  I 
"  mav  then  affert,  not  in  oftentation,  but  with 
"  humble  confidence,  that  if  I  had  not  received 
"  directlv  from  on  high  the  gift  of  infpiration 
"and  intelligence,  I  had  not  dared  to  attempt 
"an  enterprife  fo  little  accorded  to  the  powers 
"  of  the    human   mind." 

"  This  work,"  fays  the  author  of  the  Hiftoire  Litteraire  de  la 
France,  "was  drawn  from  the  dull  in  1483,  and  its  publication 
"  was  achieved  on  the  tenth  of  December  of  the  fame  year,  at 
"  Paris,  in  magni  domo  campi  Gaillardi.  The  Proteltants,  eager 
"to  gather  everything  which  appears  unfavorable  to  the  Church 
"  of  Rome,  have  fince  multiplied  the  editions.  Some  Catholics 
"  have  alio  given  to  it  fome  praifes  ;  and  furely  it  merits  them, 
"  at  leaft  by  the  fentiments  of  piety  which  it  exhales,  and  by  the 
"  zeal  with  which  the  author  attacks  the  abufes  of  his  time." 


4  The  Celeftial  Country. 

"  In  holy  Rome  the  only  power  is  gold  5 
There  all  is  bought — there  every  thing  is  fold. 
Becaufe  me  is  the  very  way  to  right, 
There  truth  is  perimed  by  unholy  Height. 
Even  as  the  wheel  turns,  Rome  to  evil  turns, 
Rome,  that  fpreads  fragrance  as  when  incenfe  burns. 
Pvome  wrongs  mankind,  and  teaches  men  the  road 
To  flee  far  cfF  from  Righteoufnefs'  abode  ! 
To  feek  for  ruinous  and  difgraceful  gain, 
The  pallium's  felf  with  fimony  to  ftain. 
If  aught  you  wifh,  be  fure  a  goodly  bribe 
Will  hafte  the  fealing  of  the  lingering  fcribe. 
Rife  !   follow  !  let  your  penny  go  before, 
Seek  boldly  then  the  threfhold  ;    fear  no  more 
That  any  ftumbling-blocks  will  bar  the  way, 
The  Pope's  own  favor  you  can  get  for  pay — 
Without  that  help,  'tis  beft  to  keep  away.'' 

The  opening  of  this  monkifti  fatire  on  the 
corruptions  of  its  barbarous  age,  glows  with  a 
defcription  of  the  Heavenly  Land  more  beauti- 
ful than  ever  before  was  wrought  in  verfe. 
This  a  great  fcholar  of  our  time  has  taken  from 
the  poem  and  brought  within  the  reach  and 
notice  of  the  world  [Trench).  It  alfo  has  been 
re-woven  into  fimple  Englifh  verfe,  and  has  re- 
ceived the  appropriate  name  of  The  Celestial 
Country. 


The   Celefiial  Country,  5 

The  tranflator  of  The  Celestial  Country 
is  Dr.  John  Mafon  Neale,  Warden  of  Sack- 
ville  College,  Suffex,  England,  the  moft  fucceff- 
ful  tranflator  of  mediaeval  hymns,  and  one  of 
the  moft  varied  and  voluminous  writers  of  the 
time.  "Lays  and  Legends  of  the  Church  of 
England  ;"  "  A  Church  Hiftorv  for  Children  ;" 
feven  volumes  of  romances  ;  a  hiftorv  of  Greece  ; 
a  hiftorv  of  Portugal  ;  of  the  Patriarchate  of 
Alexandria,  and  of  the  Janfenift  Church  of 
Holland  ;  a  large  number  of  tales  and  hymns 
for  children,  and  a  moft  learned  and  elaborate 
commentary  on  the  Book  of  Pfalms,  are  included 
in  the  long  catalogue  of  his  works. 

This  fcholar  of  ^Cambridge,  and  this  monk  of 
Cluni,  have  given  to  the  religious  world  the 
fweeteft  and  deareft  religious  poem  that  our  lan- 
guage contains.  Dr.  Neale  favs  that  he  looks 
upon  the  lines  of  Bernard  u  as  the  moft  lovely, 
"  in  the  fame  way  that  the  Dies  Ircv  is  the  moft 
"  fublime,and  the  Stabat  Mater  the  moft  pathetic 
u  of  mediaeval  poems,"  but  his  own  poem  may 
claim  more  juftly  that  word.  The  Celestial 
Country   is  better  than  De  Contemptu  Mundi. 


6  The  Celeftial  Country. 

The  beautiful  fimplicity  of  its  artlefs,  childlike 
lines  portrays  more  naturally  the  fervid  imagery 
of  the  monk.  After  feven  hundred  years  of 
darknefs,  the  holy  fervor  of  Bernard  re-kindles, 
in  it  as  warmly  as  when  in  the  w7armth  of  his 
devotion  he  believed  himfelf  fpecially  infpired 
by  the  Moft  High.  In  another  language,  at 
another  time,  and  among  thofe  who  can  but 
dimly  trace  his  name  in  the  crumbling  record 
of  his  works,  the  Rhyme  of  the  poor  monk  re- 
lives to  gladden  the  hearts  of  other  Chriftians, 
loved  by  fuch  as  pofTefs  its  faith,  and  treafured 
by  the  gentleft  and  the  beft  of  earth.3 


The  Celejiial  Country. 


THE 

CELESTIAL     COUNTRY. 


DR.    NEALE. 


I. 


THE   world  is   very  evil, 
The   times   are   waxing  late  ; 
Be  fober  and   keep  vigil, 

The  Judge  is  at  the  gate — 
The  Judge  that  comes  in  mercv, 

The  Judge  that  comes  with   might, 
To  terminate  the  evil, 

To   diadem   the  right. 
When   the    juft  and  gentle   Monarch 

Shall   fummon   from   the  tomb, 
Let   man,   the  guiltv,   tremble, 

For   Man,   the   God,   (hall   doom  ! 


8  Tbe  Celeftial  Country. 

2. 

Arife,  arife,  good  Chriftian, 

Let   right   to  wrong  fucceed  ; 
Let  penitential  forrow 

To   heavenly  gladnefs  lead — 
To  the   light  that   hath   no  evening, 

That  knows  nor  moon   nor  fun, 
The  light  fo  new  and  golden, 

The  light  that  is  but   one. 

.     3- 

And   when  the   Sole-Begotten 

Shall  render  up  once   more 
The   kingdom   to  the   Father, 

Whole  own  it  was  before, 
Then  glory  yet  unheard   of 

Shall   fhed  abroad  its  ray, 
Refolving  all  enigmas, 

An   endlefs   Sabbath-day. 


Then,   then   from   his   oppreflors 
The    Hebrew   lhall   go    free, 


The  Celeflial   Count, 


n\ 


And   celebrate  in  triumph 

The   year  of  Jubilee  ; 
And   the  funlit   Land   that   recks   not 

Of  tempeft  nor  of  fight, 
Shall   fold   within   its   boibm 

Each  happv   Ifraelite — 
The   Home   of  fadelefs   fplendor, 

Of  flowers  that   fear  no   thorn, 
Where  thev   fhall  dwell  as   children, 

Who   here  as   exiles   mourn. 


Midfr.   power  that   knows   no  limit. 

And   wifdom   free   from   bound, 
The   Beatific   Vifion 

Shall  glad  the   Saints  around — 
The  peace  of  all  the  faithful, 

The   calm   of  all  the   bled, 
Inviolate,   unvaried, 

Divineft,   fweeteft,   beft. 
Yes,   peace  !    for   war  is   needlefs — 

Yes,   calm  !    for  ftorm   is  paft — 
And  goal   from   finifhed   labor, 

And  anchorage  at   laft. 


io  'the  Celeftial  Country. 

6. 

That   peace — but   who   may   claim   it  ? 

The  guilelefs  in  their  way, 
Who   keep  the  ranks   of  battle, 

Who   mean  the  thing  they   fav — 
The  peace  that  is  for  heaven, 

And  fhall  be   for  the  earth  ; 
The  palace  that   re-echoes 

With   feftal  fong  and   mirth  ; 
The  garden,  breathing  fpices, 

The  paradife  on   high  ; 
Grace  beautified  to  glory, 

Unceafing  minftrelfy. 


There  nothing  can  be  feeble, 

There   none   can   ever  mourn, 
There   nothing  is   divided, 

There   nothing  can  be  torn. 
'Tis   fury,   ill,  and  fcandal, 

'Tis  peacelefs  peace  below  ; 
Peace,   endlefs,   ftrifelefs,  agelefs, 

The  halls  of  Syon  know. 


The  Celeftial  Country.   *  1  1 


O   happv,   holy   portion, 

Refection   for  the   bleft, 
True   vifion  of  true  beautv, 

Sweet   cure  of  all  diftreft  ! 
Strive,   man,   to  win  that  glory  ; 

Toil,   man,   to  gain  that   light  ; 
Send   hope   before  to  grafp  it, 

Till   hope   be   loft   in  fight  ; 
Till   Jesus   gives  the   portion 

Thofe  bleffed   fouls   to   fill — 
The  infatiate,   vet  fatisfied, 

The   full,   vet   craving   ftill. 

9- 

That   fulnefs  and  that   craving 

Alike  are   free   from   pain, 
Where   thou,   midft    heavenly   citizens, 

A   home   like   theirs   (halt  gain. 
Here  is  the  warlike  trumpet  ; 

There,   life  fet   free   from  fin, 
When   to   the   laft   Great    Supper 

The  faithful   fhall   come   in  ; 


12  ^ 'The   Celeftial  Country. 

When  the  heavenly  net  is  laden 

With   fifties  many  and  great 
(So  glorious  in  its   fulnefs, 

Yet   fo   inviolate)  ; 
And  perfect   from   unperfected, 

And   fall'n  from   thofe  that   ftand,4 
And  the  fheep-flock  from  the  goat-herd 

Shall  part  on  either  hand. 

10. 

And  thefe  fhall  pafs  to  torment, 

And   thofe   fhall  triumph   then — 
The  new  peculiar  nation, 

Bleft   number  of  bleft  men. 
Jerufalem   demands  them  ; 

They   paid   the   price  on  earth, 
And  now   fhall  reap  the  harveft 

In   blifsfulnefs  and   mirth  — 
The  glorious   holy  people, 

Who   evermore  relied 
Upon  their   Chief  and   Father, 

The   King,   the   Crucified — 
The  facred   ranfomed   number 

Now   bright   with   endlefs   fheen, 


The  Celefiial  Country.  13 

Who   made  the   Crofs  their  watchword 

Of  Jesus  Nazarene, 
Who  ("fed   with   heavenly   nectar 

Where  foul-like  odors  play) 
Draw  out  the  endlefs   leifure 

Of  that  long  vernal  day. 

11. 

And,   through   the  facred   lilies 

And   flowers  on  every  fide, 
The   happy  dear-bought    people 

Go  wandering  far  and   wide  ; 
Their  breafts  are   filled  with  gladnefs, 

Their  mouths  are  tun'd  to   praife, 
What  time,   now  fafe  for   ever, 

On  former  fins  they  gaze  : 
The  fouler  was  the   error, 

The  fadder  was  the   fall, 
The  ampler  are  the  praifes 

Of    Him   who   pardoned  all. 

12. 

Their  one  and  onlv  anthem, 
The  fulnefs  of   His    love, 


14  ¥he  Celejiial  Country. 

Who  gives  inftead  of  torment, 

Eternal  joys  above — 
Inftead   of  torment,  glory  ; 

Inftead  of  death,  that  life 
Wherewith  your   happy   Country, 

True   Ifraelites,  is  rife. 

J3- 
Brief  life  is  here  our  portion, 

Brief  forrow,   fhort-liv'd  care  ; 
The  life  that  knows  no  ending — 

The  tearlefs  life,  is  there. 

H. 
O   happy  retribution  ! 

Short  toil,   eternal  reft  ; 
For  mortals  and  for  finners 

A  manfion  with  the  bleft  ! 
That  we  fhould  look,  poor  wand'rers, 

To  have  our  home  on  high  ! 
That  worms  fhould  feek  for  dwelling, 

Beyond  the  ftarry  fky  ! 
To  all  one  happy  guerdon 

Of  one   celeftial   grace  ; 


The  Celeftial  Country.  15 

For  all,   for  all,   who   mourn  their  fall, 
Is  one  eternal  place. 

15- 

And  martyrdom  hath  rofes 

Upon  that  heavenly  ground  ; 
And   white  and   virgin   lilies 

For  virgin-fouls  abound. 
There  grief  is  turned   to  pleafure — 

Such   pleafure  as  below 
No   human  voice   can   utter, 

No   human  heart  can   know  ; 
And  after   flefhlv  fcandal, 

And  after  this   world's   night, 
And  after  ftorm  and  whirlwind, 

Is   calm,  and    joy,   and   light. 

16. 

And  now   we  fight  the  battle, 

But   then  mall  wear  the   crown 
Of  full  and   everlafting 

And   paffionlefs  renown  : 
And   now   we   watch   and   ftruggle, 


l6  The   Celejlial   Country. 

And  now   we  live  in   hope, 
And   Syon,   in  her  anguifh, 

With    Babylon  mud  cope  ; 
But   He   whom   now  we  truft  in 

Shall  then  be  feen  and   known, 
And  they  that   know  and  fee   Him 

Shall  have  Him  for  their  own. 

J7- 

The  miferable  pleafures 

Of  the   body   (hall   decay  ; 
The  bland  and   flattering  ftruggles 

Of  the   flefh   mall    pafs  away  ; 
And  none  mail  there  be  jealous, 

And  none   fhall  there   contend  ; 
Fraud,   clamor,  guile — what  fay   I  ? 

All  ill,  all  ill  fhall  end  i 


And  there  is   David's   Fountain, 
And   life   in   fulleft  glow  ; 

And   there  the  light   is  golden, 
And   milk  and   honey   flow — 


The   Celeftial  Country, 

The   light   that   hath   no   evening, 
The   health   that   hath   no  fore, 

The   life  that  hath   no   ending, 
But  lafteth   evermore. 

19. 

There  Jesus  fhall  embrace  us, 

There  Jesus   be  embraced — 
That  fpirit's   food  and  funmine 

Whence   earthlv   love   is   chafed. 
Amidft  the  happv   chorus, 

A   place,   however  low, 
Shall   mew   Him   us,   and   {hewing, 

Shall  fatiate  evermo. 

20. 

By   hope  we  ftruggle   onward  : 
While   here   we   muft   be   fed 

Bv   milk,  as  tender  infants, 
But  there  bv  Living   Bread. 

The   night   was  full  of  terror, 

The   morn   is  bright   with   gladnefs  ; 

The   Crofs  becomes   our   harbor, 
And   we  triumph   after  fadnefs. 


18  The  Celeflial  Country. 

21. 

And  Jesus  to   His  true  ones 

Brings  trophies  fair  to  fee  ; 
And  Jesus   fhall  be  loved,  and 

Beheld  in   Galilee — 
Beheld,  when  morn   fhall   waken, 

And   fhadows  fhall  decay, 
And   each   true-hearted  fervant 

Shall  mine  as  doth  the  day  ; 
And   every  ear  fhall  hear  it — 

u  Behold  thy   King's  arrays 
Behold  thy   God   in  beauty, 

The   Law   hath  pafs'd  away  ! " 

22. 

Yes  !    God   my   King  and   Portion, 

In  fulnefs  of  Thy  grace, 
We  then  mall  fee  for  ever, 

And  worfhip  face  to  face. 
Then  Jacob   into   Ifrael, 

From   earthlier  felf  eftranged, 
And  Leah   into   Rachel 

For  ever   fhall   be   changed  •, 5 


The   Celeflial  Country.  19 

Then  all  the  halls  of  Svon 

For  ave  fhall  be  complete, 
And   in  the  Land   of  Beauty, 

All   things  of  beauty   meet. 

23- 

For  thee,   O   dear,   dear  Country  ! 

Mine  eyes  their  vigils  keep  ; 
For   very   love,   beholding 

Thy  happy  name,   they  weep. 
The   mention  of  thy   glory 

Is   unction  to  the  breaft, 
And    medicine  in  ficknefs, 

And  love,  and  life,  and  reft. 

24. 

O   one,   O   onely   Manfion  ! 

O   Paradife  of  Joy  ! 
Where  tears  are  ever  banifhed, 

And  fmiles   have   no  alloy, 
Befide   thy   living   waters 

x*\ll   plants   are,   great   and   fmall, 
The    cedar  of  the   foreft, 


20  The  Celejilal  Country. 

The   hyflbp   of  the   wall  ; 
With   jafpers   glow   thy   bulwarks, 

Thy   ftreets   with   emeralds  blaze, 
The   fardius  and   the   topaz 

Unite   in   thee   their  ravs  ; 
Thine  agelefs   walls   are   bonded 

With  amethyft  unpriced  ; 
Thy   Saints   build   up   its   fabric, 

And  the   corner-ftone  is   Christ.6 


25. 

The   Crofs   is   all   thy   fplendor, 

The    Crucified   thy   praife  ; 
His   laud   and   benediction 

Thy   ranfomed   people   raife  : 
u  Jesus,   the    Gem   of  Beauty, 

True   God   and  Man"   they  fing, 
cc  The   never-failing    Garden, 

The  ever-golden  Ring  ; 
The   Door,    the   Pledge,    the    Hufband, 

The    Guardian   of  his    Court  $ 
The   Day -far  of  Salvation, 

The    Porter   and  the    Port  /" 


The  Celeflial  Country.  21 

26. 

Thou  hast  no  shore,  fair  ocean] 

Thou  hast  no  time,  bright  day  ! 
Dear  fountain  of  refreshment 

To  pilgrims  far  away  ! 
Upon   the   Rock  of   Ages 

They  raise   thy   holy   tower  ; 
Thine   is   the   victor's   laurel, 

And  thine  the   golden  dower  ! 

2/. 

Thou   feel'ft   in   mvftic   rapture, 

O    Bride   that   know'ft   no  guile, 
The   Prince's   fweeteft   kifles, 

The   Prince's   lovelieft   fmile  \ 
Unfading   lilies,   bracelets 

Of  living   pearl   thine   own  ; 
The   Lamb  is   ever  near  thee, 

The    Bridegroom   thine  alone. 
The   Crown   is    He   to  guerdon, 

The   Buckler  to   prote£t, 
And   He   Himfelf  the   Manfion, 

And   He  the   Architect. 


22  Tbe  Celeflial  Country. 

28. 

The   only   art   thou   needeft — 

Thankfgiving   for    thy   lot  ; 
The   only  joy   thou  feekeft — 

The   Life   where    Death   is   not. 
And  all   thine   endlefs   leifure, 

In   fweeteft  accents,   fings 
The   ill   that   was   thy   merit, 

The   wealth   that   is   thy   King's  ! 

29. 

Jerusalem  the   golden, 

With  milk  and  honey  blest, 
Beneath  thy  contemplation 

Sink  heart  and  voice  oppressed, 
i  know  not,  o  i   know  not, 

What  social  joys  are  there  ! 
What  radiancy  of   glory, 

What  light  beyond  compare  ! 

3°- 
And   when   I   fain   would  fing  them, 
My   fpirit   fails  and   faints  ; 


The  CelejUal  Country.  23 

And   vainly   would   it   image 
The  affembly   of  the   Saints. 

31- 

They   stand,   those   halls  of   Syon, 

conjubilant  with  song, 
And   bright   with   many   an   angel, 

And  all  the   martyr  throng  ; 
The   Prince   is   ever  in   them, 

The   daylight  is  serene  ; 
The   pastures  of   the   Blessed 

Are  decked  in   glorious  sheen. 


32- 

There   is  the  Throne  of   David, 

And  there,   from  care  released, 
The  song  of   them   that  triumph, 

The  shout  of   them  that  feast  ; 
And  they  who,  with  their  Leader, 

Have  conquered  in  the  fight, 
For  ever  and  for  ever 

Are  clad  in  robes  of  white  ! 7 


24  The  Celejiial  Country. 

33- 

O  holy,   placid   harp-notes 

Of  that  eternal  hymn  ! 
O   facred,   fweet   refection, 

And   peace  of  Seraphim  ! 
O  thirft,   for  ever  ardent, 

Yet  evermore  content ! 
O   true  peculiar  vifion 

Of  God  cunctipotent  ! 
Ye   know  the   many   manfions 

For  many  a  glorious  name, 
And  divers  retributions 

That  divers  merits  claim  ; 
For  midft  the  conflellations 

That  deck  our  earthly  fky, 
This  ftar  than  that  is  brighter — 

And  fo  it   is  on  high. 

34. 

Jerufalem  the  glorious  ! 

The  glory  of  the  Elect  ! 
O   dear   and   future   vifion 

That   eager  hearts  expect  J 


The   Celeftial  Country.  25 

Even  now  by   faith   I   fee  thee, 
Even   here  thv   walls  difcern  ; 

To  thee   mv  thoughts  are   kindled, 
And  ftrive,  and  pant,  and  yearn. 

35. 

Jerufalem  the  onely, 

That   look'ft   from   heaven  below, 
In   thee   is  all   my   glory, 
^  In   me   is  all  my  woe  ; 
And   though   my  body   may   not,. 

My  fpirit  feeks   thee   fain, 
Till   flefh  and  earth   return   me 

To  earth  and   flefh  again. 

36. 

O   none   can  tell  thy   bulwarks, 

How  glorioufly   they   rife  ! 
O   none   can   tell  thy   capitals 

Of  beautiful   device  ! 
Thv  lovelinefs  oppreffes 

All  human  thought  and   heart  ; 
And   none,    O   peace,   O   Syon, 

Can   fing  thee   as   thou  art  ! 


26  The  Celeftial  Country. 

37- 

New   manfion   of  new   people, 

Whom   God's    own   love   and   light 
Promote,  increafe,   make  holy, 

Identify,  unite  !    - 
Thou   City  of  the   Angels  ! 

Thou    City  of  the  Lord  ! 
Whofe  everlafting  mufic 

Is  the  glorious  decachord  !8 

38. 

And  there  the  band  of  Prophets 

United    praife  afcribes, 
And  there  the  twelvefold  chorus 

Of  IfraePs  ranfomed  tribes, 
The  lily-beds  of  virgins, 

The  rofes'   martyr-glow, 
The  cohort  of  the  Fathers 

Who  kept  the  Faith  below. 

39- 
And  there  the   Sole-Begotten 
Is  Lord  in  regal  ftate — 


The  Celeflial  Country.  27 

He,   Judah's  mvftic   Lion, 

He,   Lamb   Immaculate. 
O   fields  that   know  no  forrow  ! 

O   ftate  that   fears  no   ftrife  ! 

0  princely  bowers  !    O   land  of  flowers  ! 

0  realm  and  home  of  Life  ! 

40. 

Jerufalem,   exulting 

On  that  fecureft  more, 

1  hope   thee,   wifh   thee,   fing  thee, 

And  love  thee  evermore  ! 
I  afk  not   for   mv   merit, 

1  feek  not  to  denv 
My   merit  is  deftruftion, 

A   child   of  wrath   am   I  ; 
But  vet  with   Faith   I   venture 

And   Hope   upon   mv   way  ; 
For  thofe  perennial  guerdons 

I   labor  night  and  dav. 

41. 

The  beft  and  aeareft  Father, 
Who   made   me  and   who   faved, 


28  The  Celeftial  Country. 

Bore  with   me  in  defilement, 

And    from   defilement  laved, 
When  in   His  ftrength  I  ftruggle, 

For  very  joy   I   leap, 
When  in  my  fin  I   totter, 

I  weep,  or  try  to  weep  : 
But  grace,  fweet  grace  celeftial, 

Shall  all  its  love  difplav, 
And   David's   Royal  Fountain 

Purge  every  fin  away. 

42. 

O   mine,   my  golden   Syon  ! 

O  lovelier  far  than  gold, 
With   laurel-girt   battalions, 

And  fafe  victorious  fold  ! 
O   fweet   and   blefled   Country, 

Shall   I   ever   fee   thy   face  ? 

0  fweet   and   blefled   Country, 
Shall   I   ever  win  thy  grace  ? 

1  have   the   hope  within   me 

To   comfort  and   to  blefs  ! 
Shall   I   ever  win  the  prize  itfelf  ? 
O   tell   me,  tell   me,   Yes  J 


The  Celeftial  Count  29 

43- 

Exult,    0  duft   and   ajhes  ! 

The  Lord  Jhall  be  thy  part  1 
His  only,    His   for  ever, 

Thou  /halt  be,  and  thou  art  .' 
Exult,    0  dujl   and  ajhes  ! 

The  Lord  jhall  be  thy  part  , 
His   onlv,    His    for   ever, 

Thou   jhalt   be,    and   thou   art  !  > 


30  Tbe  Celeftial  Country. 


HORA     NOVISSIMA. 

BERNARD    OF    CLUNI. 

HORA  noviflima,  tempora  peflima  funt,vigi- 
lemus^ 
Ecce  minaciter  imminet  arbiter  ille  iupremus. 
Imminet,  imminet  et  mala  terminet,  aequa  coro- 
net, 
Recta  remuneret,  anxia  liberet,  aethera  donet, 
Auferat  afpera  duraque  pondera  mentes  onuftae, 
Sobria  muniat,  improba  puniat,  utraque  jufte. 


Hie  breve  vivitur,  hie  breve  plangitur,  hie  breve 

fletur  ; 
Non    breve    vivere,    non    breve    plangere    retri- 

buetur  ; 
O  retributio  !    ftat  brevis  a&io,  vita  perennis  ; 
O  retributio  !   coelica  manfio  ftat  lue  plenis  ; 
Quid  datur  et  quibus  ?   aether  egentibus  et  cruce 

dignis, 
Sidera  vermibus,  optima  fontibus,  aftra  malignis. 


The  Celeftial  Country.  31 

Sunt   modo   praelia,   poftmodo   praemia ;    qualia  ? 

plena, 
Plena  refectio,  nullaque  pafllo,  nullaque  poena  : 
Spe  modo  vivitur,  et  Syon  angitur  a  Babvlone  ; 
Nunc  tribulatio  ;  tunc  recreatio,  fceptra,  coronae ; 
Tunc  nova  gloria  pe£tora  fobria  clarificabit, 
Solvet  enigmata,  veraque  fabbata  continuabit. 
Liber  et  hoftibus,  et  dominantibus  ibit  Hebraeus ; 
Liber  habebitur  et  celebrabitur  hinc  jubilaeus. 
Patria  luminis,  infcia  turbinis,  infcia  litis, 
Cive  replebitur,  amplificabitur  Ifraelitis  ; 
Patria  fplendida,  terraque  florida,  libera  fpinis, 
Danda  fidelibus  eft  ibi  civibus,  hie  peregrinis. 
Tunc  erit  omnibus  infpicientibus  ora  Tonantis 
Summa  potentia,  plena  fcientia,  pax  pia  fancTis  ; 
Pax  fine  crimine,  pax  fine  turbine,  pax  fine  rixa, 
Meta  laboribus,  atque  tumultibus  anchora  fixa. 
Pars  mea  Rex  meus^in  proprio  Deus  ipfe  decore 
Vifus  amabitur,  atque  videbitur  Au&or  in  ore. 
Tunc  Jacob  Ifrael,  et  Lia  tunc  Rachel  efficietur, 
Tunc  Syon  atria  pulcraque  patria  perficietur. 

O  bona  Patria,  lumina  fobria  te  fpeculantur, 
Ad  tua  nomina  lumina  fobria  collacrymantur  \ 


32  The  Celefiial  Country. 

Eft  tua  mentio  pectoris  un£r.io,  cura  doloris, 
Concipientibus  aethera  mentibus  ignis  amoris. 
Tu  locus  unicus,  illeque  coelicus  es  paradifus, 
Non  ibi  lacryma,  fed  placidiiTima  gaudia,  rifus. 
Eft  ibi  confita  laurus,  et  infita  cedrus  hyfopo  ; 
Sunt  radiantia  jafpide  maenia,  clara  pyropo  : 
Hinc  tibi  fardius,  inde  topazius,  hinc  amethyftus  ; 
Eft     tua     fabrica     concio     coelica,     gemmaque 

Chriftus. 
Tu    fine    littore,   tu    fine    tempore,   fons    modo 

rivus, 
Dulce  bonis  fapis,  eftque  tibi  lapis  undique  vivus. 
Eft  tibi  laurea,  dos  datur  aurea,  fponfa  decora, 
Primaque  Principis  ofcula  fufcipis,  infpicis  ora  : 
Candida  lilia,  viva  monilia  funt  tibi,  Sponfa, 
Agnus  adeft  tibi,  Sponfus  adeft  tibi,  lux  fpeciofa  : 
Tota  negocia,  cantica  dulcia  dulce  tonare, 
Tarn    mala   debita,   quam   bona    praebita    conju- 

bilare. 
Urbs  Syon  aurea,  patrea  laclea,  cive  decora, 
Omne  cor  obruis,  omnibus  obftruis  et  cor  et  ora. 
Nefcio,  nefcio,  quae  jubilatio,  lux  tibi  qualis, 
Quam  focialia  gaudia,  gloria  quam  fpecialis  : 
Laude  ftudens  ea  tollere,  mens  mea  vicSIa  fatifcit  : 


The  Celeftial  Country,  33 

O  bona  gloria,  vincor  ;    in  omnia  laus  tua  vicit. 
Sunt  Svon  atria  conjubilantia,  martyre  plena, 
Cive  micantia,  Principe  ftantia,  luce  ferena  : 
Eft  ibi  pafcua,  mitibus  afflua,  praeftlta  fan&is, 
Regis  ibi  thronus,  agminis  et  fonus  eft  epulantis. 
Gens    duce    fplendida,   concio   Candida    veftibus 

albis 
Sunt  fine  fletibus  in  Svon  aedibus,  aedibus  almis  ; 
Sunt   fine   crimine,   funt    fine   turbine,   funt   fine 

lite 
In  Syon  aedibus  editioribus  Ifraelitae. 
Urbs  Syon  inclyta,  gloria  debita  glorificandis, 
Tu  bona  vifibus  interioribus  intima  pandis  : 
Intima  lumina,  mentis  acumina  te  fpeculantur, 
Peitora   flammea  fpe  modo,  poftea  forte  lucran- 

tur. 
Urbs  Syon  unica,  manfio  myftica,  condita  coelo, 
Nunc    tibi    gaudeo,    nunc    mihi    lugeo,    triftor, 

anhelo  : 
Te  quia  corpore  non  queo,  pecT:ore  faepe  penetro, 
Sed    caro    terrea,    terraque    carnea,    mox    cado 

retro 
Nemo  retexere,  nemoque  promere  fuftinet  ore, 
Quo  tua  moenia,  quo  capitalia  plena  decore  ; 


34  Tie   Celeftial  Country. 

Opprimit  omne  cor  ille  tuus  decor,  O  Svon,  O 

pax, 
Urbs  fine   tempore,   nulla    poteft    fore   laus   tibi 

mendax  ; 
O  fine  luxibus,  O  fine  luctibus,  O  fine  lite 
Splendida  curia,  florida  patria,  patria  vitae  ! 
Urbs  Syon  inclyta,  turris  et  edita  littore  tuto, 
Te  peto,  te  colo,   te   flagro,  te   volo,  canto,  fa- 

luto  ; 
Nee    mentis    peto,    nam    mentis    meto    morte 

perire, 
Nee  reticens  tego,  quod  meritis  ego  filius  irae  ; 
Vita  quidem  mea,  vita  nimis  rea,  mortua  vita, 
Quippe  reatibus  exitialibus  obruta,  trita. 
Spe  tamen  ambulo,  praemia  poftulo  fpeque  fide- 

que, 
Ilia  perennia  poftulo  praemia  noclie  dieque. 
Me  Pater  optimus  atque  piiflimus  ille  creavit ; 
In  lue  pertulit,  ex  lue  fuftulit,  a  lue  lavit. 
Gratia  coelica  fuftinet  unica  totius  orbis, 
Parcere  fordibus,  interioribus  uncliio  morbis  ; 
Diluit  omina  coelica  gratia,  fons  David  undans 
Omnia  diluit,  omnibus  affluit,  omnia  mundans  ; 
O  pia  gratia,  celfa  palatia  cernere  praefta, 


The  Celejiial  Country.  35 

Ut  videam  bona,  feftaque  confona,  coelica  fefta. 
O  mea,  fpes  mea,  tu  Svon  aurea,  clarior  auro, 
Agmine    fplendida,    flans    duce,    florida    perpete 

lauro, 
O  bona  patria,  num  tua  gaudia  teque  videbo  ? 
O  bona  patria,  num  tua  praemia  plena  tenebo  ? 
Die    mihi,    flagito,     verbaque     reddito,    dicque, 

videbis. 
Spem    folidam    gero  ;     remne    tenens    ero  ?    die, 

Retinebis 
O  facer,  O  pius,  O  ter  et  amplius  ille  beatus, 
Cui  fua  pars   Deus,  O  mifer,  O  reus  hac  vidu- 

atus.10 


36 


The  Geleftial  Country. 


NOTES. 


1  "  Le  furnom  de  Bernard  varie  en  trois  manieres  dans  les 
manufcrits.  Les  uns  l'expriment  par  Morlanenfis  qui  Pitfeus 
rapporte  a  une  ville  d'Angleterre  fans  la  defigner  j  les  autres 
portent  Morvalenfis,  que  Fabricius  explique  de  la  vallee  de  Mau- 
rienne  ;  il  en  eft  enfin  ou  Ton  trouve  Morlacenfis,  qu'on  peut 
appliquer  ou  a  Morlaix  en  BafTe-Bretagne,  ou  a  la  Morlas  dans 
le  comte  de  Bigorre.  Mais  il  eft  certain,  1°,  que  la  feconde  de- 
nomination eft  la  plus  rare  j  2°,  que  les  anciennes  chartes  em- 
ploient  indifferemment  les  deux  autres  pour  marquer  un  citoyen 
de  la  derniere  ville,  ce  qui  nous  fait  pencher  a  la  regarder  comme 
la  vraie  patrie  de  Bernard." — Hiftoire  Litteraire  de  la  France. 

Dr.  Neale  fays  that  Bernard  was  "  born  at  Morlaix  in  Bretagne, 
but  of  Englifh  parents."  Trench  calls  him  "the  contemporary 
and  fellow-countryman  of  his  more  illuftrious  namefake  of 
Clairvaux."  Pitfeus  fimply  fays,  "  Nationc  Angliis,  or  dims  S. 
Bcncdicliy  Monachus  Cluniaccnfis" 

i  In  his  introduction  to  "The  Celeftial  Country,"  Dr.  Neale 
fays: — "I  have  here  deviated  from  my  ordinary  rule  of  adopting 
the  meafure  of  the  original  j  becaufe  our  language,  if  it  could  be 
tortured  to  any  diftant  refemblance  of  its  rhythm,  would  utterly 
fail  to  give  any  idea  of  the  majeftic  fweetnefs  of  the  Latin." — 
Mediaeval  Hymns  and  Sequences.      London,  2d  Edition. 

I  "  As  a  contraft  to  the  mifery  and  pollution  of  earth,"  fays 
Dr.  Neale,  "  the  poem  [De  Contcmptu  Mundi\  opens  with  a  de  - 
fcription  of  the   peace  and  glory  of  heaven,  of  fuch  rare  beauty 


The  Gelejtial  Country.  37 

as  not  eafily  to  be  matched  by  any  mediaeval  compofition  on  the 
fame  fubject.  Dean  Trench,  in  his  '  Sacred  Latin  Poetry,'  gave 
a  very  beautiful  cento  of  ninety-five  lines  from  the  work.  From 
that  cento  I  tranllated  the  larger  part  in  the  firft  edition  of  the 
pre  lent  book,  following  the  arrangement  of  Dean  Trench,  and 
not  that  of  Bernard.  The  great  popularity  which  my  tranll  ition, 
however  inferior  to  the  original,  attained,  is  evinced  by  the  very 
numerous  hymns  compiled  from  it,  which  have  found  their  way 
into  modern  collections  ;  fo  that  in  fome  fhape  or  other  the 
Cluniac's  verfes  have  become,  as  it  were,  naturalized  among  us. 
This  led  me  to  think  that  a  fuller  extract  from  the  Latin,  and  a 
further  translation  into  Englifh,  might  not  be  unacceptable  to  the 
lovers  of  facred  poetry." 

"It  would  be  moft  unthankful  did  I  not  exprefs  my  gratitude 
to  God  for  the  favor  Ke  has  given  fome  of  the  centos  made  from 
the  poem,  but  efpecially  Jerujalcm  the  Golden.  It  has  found  a 
place  in  fome  twenty  hymnals  j  and  for  the  laft  two  years  it  has 
hardly  been  polfible  to  read  any  newfpaper,  which  gives  promi- 
nence to  ecclefiaftical  news,  without  feeing  its  employment 
chronicled  at  fome  dedication  cr  other  feitival.  It  is  alfo  a  great 
favorite  with  diffenters,  and  has  obtained  admiffion  to  the  Roman 
Catholic  fervices.  '  And  I  fay  this,'  to  quote  Bernard's  own 
preface,  'in  no  wife  arrogantly,  but  with  all  humility,  and  there- 
fore boldly.' 

"  But  more  thankful  flill  am  I  that  the  Cluniac's  verfes  mould 
have  foothed  the  dying  hours  of  many  of  God's  fervants,  the 
moft  ftriking  inftance,  of  which  I  know,  is  related  in  the 
memoir  published  by  Mr.  Brownlow,  under  the  title,  A  Little 
Child  Jhall  had  them  ;  where  he  fays  that  the  child  of  whom 
he  writes,  when  furfering  agonies  which  the  medical  attendants 
declared  to  be  almoft  unparalleled,  would  lie  without  a  murmur 
or  motion,  while  the  whole  four  hundred  lines  were  read. 


38 


The  Celefiial  Country. 


"  I  have  no  hesitation  in  faying  that  I  look  en  thefe  verfes  of 
Bernard  as  the  moft  lovely,  in  the  fame  way  that  the  Dies  bee 
is  the  moft  fublime,  and  the  Stabat  Mater  the  moft  pathetic  cf 
mediaeval  poems.  They  are  even  fuperior  to  that  glorious  hymn 
en  the  fame  fubject,  the  Dc  Gloria  ct  Gaudiis  Paradiji  of  St. 
Peter  Damiani.  For  the  fake  of  companion,  I  quote  fome  of 
the  moft  ftriking  ftanzas  of  the  latter,  availing  myfelf  of  the 
admirable  tranflation  of  Mr.  Wackerbarth  [Med.  Hymns,  2d 
Edition,  London) : 

THE    GLORY    AND    JOYS    OF    PARADISE. 

There  nor  waxing  moon,  nor  waning 

Sun  nor  ftars  in  courfes  bright  5 
For  the  Lamb  to  that  glad  city 

Shines  an  everlafting  light: 
There  the  daylight  beams  for  ever, 

All  unknown  are  time  and  night. 

For  the  Saints,  in  beauty  beaming, 

Shine  in  light  and  glory  pure  5 
Crowned  in  triumph's  flufhing  honors, 

Joy  in  unifon  fecure  5 
And  in  fafety  tell  their  battles, 

And  their  foes'  difcomfiture. 

Freed  from  every  ftain  of  evil, 

All  their  carnal  wars  are  done  5 
For  the  flefh  made  fpiritual 

And  the  foul  agree  in  one; 
Peace  unbroken  fpreads  enjoyment, 

Sin  and  fcandal  are  unknown. 


The  Celefiuil  Country.  39 

Here  they  live  in  endlefs  being  5 

Paliingnefs  hath  paffed  away  ; 
Here  they  bloom,  they  thrive,  they  nourifh, 

For  decayed  is  all  decay  : 
LaiVi ng  energy  hath  fwallowed 

Darkling  death's  malignant  fway. 

Though  each  cne's  refpecYive  merit 

Hath  its  varying  palm  aliigned, 
Love  takes  all  as  his  pofTelTion, 

Where  his  power  hath  all  combined  5 
So  that  all  that  each  pofTeifes 

All  partake  in  unccnfined. 

Christ,  Thy  foldiers'  palm  of  honor, 

UntJ  this  Thy  city  free 
Lead  me  when  my  warfare's  girdle 

I  mall  call:  away  from  me — 
A  partaker  in  Thy  bounty 

With  Thv  blefTed  ones  to  be. 

Grant  me  vigor,  while  I  labor 

In  the  ceifelefs  battle  prdfeJ, 
That  Thou  mayft,  the  conflict  over, 

Grant  me  everlafting  reft  ; 
Anl  I  may  at  length  inherit 

Thee,  my  portion  ever  bleft." 

u  Archdeacon  Trench  fays  very  well,  after  referring  to  the 
Ode  of  Cafimir  (the  great  Lat:n  poet  of  Polani),  Urit  me 
Patriae  decor,  that  both  *  turn  upon  the  fame  theme,  the  heav- 
enly home-ficknefs ;    but  with  all  the  clatfical  beauty  of  the  Ode, 


40  The  Celeftial  Country. 

and  it  is  great,  who  does  not  feel  that  the  poor  Cluniac  monk's 
is  the  more  real  and  deep  utterance  ?' 

"  The  Ode,  however,  is  well  worthy  of  a  tranflation,  and  here 
is  an  attempt : 

IT    KINDL2S    ALL    MY   SOUL. 

It  kindles  all  my  foul, 
My  Country's  lovelinefs  !      Thofe  ftarry  choirs 

That  watch  around  the  pole, 
And  the  moon's  tender  light,  and  heavenly  fires 

Through  golden  halls  that  roll. 
O  chorus  of  the  night  !      O  planets,  fworn 

The  mufic  of  the  fpheres 
To  follow  !      Lovely  watchers,  that  think  fcorn 

To  reft  till  day  appears  ! 
Me,  for  celeftial  homes  of  glory  born, 

Why  here,  oh  why  fo  long, 
Do  ye  behold  an  exile  from  on  high  ? 

Here,  O  ye  mining  throng, 
With  lilies  fpread  the  mound  where  I  fhall  lie  : 

Here  let  me  drop  my  chain, 
And  duft  to  duft  returning,  caft  away 

The  trammels  that  remain  5 
The  reft  of  me  fhall  fpring  tD  cndlefs  day  !" 

4  Thefe   two   lines   are   taken    from    the    Lift    London   edition. 
In  fome  editions  they  are  thus  given  : 

"And  the  perfect  fom  the  Shattered, 

And  the  fallen  from  them  that  ftand." 

5  "  Leah  and  Rachel  are  allegorized  in  three  different  ways  by 
mediaeval  poets.      Firft,  of  the  active  and  contemplative  life;    and 


Tbe  Celefiial  Country. 


41 


thence  alio,  by  an  eafy  tranfition,  to  the  toil  we  endure  on  earth, 
and  the  eternal  contemplation  of  God's  glory  in  Heaven  as  here. 
So  again,  in  a  fine  but  rugged  prole  in  the  Nuremberg  MiiTal 
for  St.  Jerome's  Day  : 

Then,  when  all  carnal  ftrife  hath  ceafed, 
And  we  from  warfare  are  releafed, 
O  grant  us  in  that  Heavenly  Feafr 

To  fee  Thee  as  Thou  art : 
To  Leah  give,  the  battle  won, 

Her  Rachel's  dearer  heart ; 
To  Martha,  when  the  ftrife  is  done, 

Her  Mary's  better  part. 

uTh-  parallel  lymbol  of  Martha  and  Mary  i:,  however,  in 
this  Itnie.  far  more  common,  and  is  even  found  in  epitaphs,  as 
in  that  of  Gundreda  de  Warren,  daughter  of  William  the  Con- 
queror : 

A  Martha  to  the  houfelefs  poor,  a  Mary  in  her  love  ; 

And  though  her  Martha's  part  be  gone, "her  Mary's  lives  above. 

"  Bernard,  in  the  pafTage  we  are  confidering,  has  a  double  pro- 
priety in  tbe  changes  of  which  he  fpeaks.  Ifrael,  according  to 
St.  Auguftine's  rendering,  means,  He  that  beholds  God;  Rachel, 
according  to  the  unwarrantable  mediaeval  explanaticn,  That  be- 
holds the  Beginnings  i.  e.y  Christ.  Thus,  the  change  fpoken  of 
is  from  earth  to  the  Beatific  Villon ;  and  has  a  reference  alfo  to 
the  New  Name  and  White  Stone  of  the  Apocalyple. 

"  The  lecond  allegory  of  Leah  and  Rachel  expounds  them  of 
the  Synagogue  and  the  Church;  the  third  makes  them  to  repre- 
lent  earthly  affliction  patiently  endured  " — Mediaeval  Hsmns. 
2d  Edition. 


42  The   Celejlial  Country. 

6  "It  is  not  without  a  deep  myftical  meaning  that  thefe 
ftoncs  are  fele&ed  by  the  poet. 

"The  twelve  foundation  ftoncs  of  the  Apocalypfe  gave  rife, 
as  might  be  expected,  to  an  infinite  variety  of  myftical  interpre- 
tations. 'Jjfper,'  fays  the  comment  of  Marbodus,  'is  the  firft 
foundation  of  the  Church  of  God,  and  is  of  a  green  color.'  'It 
fignities  thofe  who  always  hold  the  Faith  of  God  and  never  depart 
from  it,  cr  wither,  but  are  always  flourishing  therein,  and  fear 
not  the  affaults  of  the  devil.'  'The  emerald  is  exceeding  green, 
furpalTing  all  gems  and  herbs  in  greennefs.'  '  By  the  emerald  we 
underftand  thofe  v/ho  excel  others  in  the  vigor  of  their  faith,  and 
dwell  among  infidels  who  be  frigid  and  arid  in  their  love.'  'The 
fardius,  which  is  wholly  red,  (ignifies  the  martyrs  who  pour  forth 
their  blood  for  Christ.'  'The  topaz  is  rare,  and  therefore  pre- 
cious It  has  two  colors,  one  like  gold,  the  other  clearer.  In 
clearnefs  it  furpafTes  all  gems,  and  nothing  is  more  beautiful.  It 
iignifies  thofe  who  love  God  and  their  neighbor  '  'The  amethyft 
is  entirely  red,  and  fhoots  out  rofy  flames.  Its  color  fignifies 
earthly  Suffering;  its  emiiiions,  prayers  for  thofe  that  caufe  it.'" 
— Mediaeval  Hymns.      2d  Edition. 

7  Thefe  ftanzas  are  evidently  confidered  by  Dr.  Neale  his  beft. 
See  page  37.  In  deference  to  that  opinion,  they  are  given  here  in 
the  form  in  which  they  appear  in  the  laft  edition  of  Mediaeval 
Hymns. 

8  "  Decachord,  with  reference  to  the  myftical  explanation,  which, 
feeing  in  the  number  ten  a  type  of  perfection,  underftands  the 
'instrument  of  ten  ftrings'  of  the  perfect,  harmony  of  heaven."" 

9  *'  I  have  been  fo  often  a/ked  to  what  tune  the  words  of  Ber- 
nard may  be  fung,  that  I  may  here  mention  that  of  Mr.  Evving, 
the  earlieft  written,  the  beft  known,  and   with   children  the  moft 


The   Celejiial  Country,  43 

popular  j  that  of  my  friend,  the  Rev.  H.  L.  Jenner,  perhaps  the 
moll  ecclefiaftical  j  and  that  of  another  friend,  Mr.  Edmund 
Sedding,  which,  to  my  mind,  bell:  expreffes  the   meaning  of  the 

words." — Mediaeval  Hymns.      2d  Edition. 

J3  Xo  copv  of  De  Contcmptu  Mundl  is  known  to  be  in  the 
United  States,  and  hence  the  extract  given  is  only  the  cento  from 
Trench's  Sacred  Latin  Poetry,  preceded  by  the  nrft  fix  lines  of 
the  poem.  It  is  the  part  hrft  tranllated  by  Dr.  Neale,  beginning 
at  the  line,  "Brief  life  is  here  our  portion." 

NOTE,  that  in  this  edition  of  The  Celeftia!  Country  thefe 
changes  have  been  made  : 

1  ft.  The  poem  has  been  divided  into  irregular  ftanzas.  This 
change  of  form  is  partly  for  the  convenience  of  thole  who  love 
to  refer  and  re-refer  to  favorite  paiTages  ;  partly  to  enable  chil- 
dren readily  to  felect  from  it  ftanzas  to  be  learned  or  fung  ;  but 
chiefly  to  render  its  intermingling  fentences  more  clear  to  thofe 
who  have  not  beccme  familiar  with  its  construction. 

2d.  The  punctuation  has  been  materially  remodelled  and 
changed. 

3d.  The  author's  text  has  been  altered  in  three  inftances,  where- 
in the  errors  corrected  feem  manifeftly  Hips  of  the  pen  or  blunders 
of  the  compofitor,  viz.,  in  the  ninth  ftanza,  line  fourteen>  u  thofe" 
is  iubftituted  for  "them;"  in  the  twenty-fecond  ftanza,line  two, 
"Thy"  is  fubftituted  for  "His,"  and  in  the  forty-rirft  ftanza,  line 
nine,  "But"  is  fubftituted  for  "  And." 
4 


4-)-  The  Dies  Ira. 


THE    DIES    IRiE. 


A  FRANCISCAN  monk  named  Thomas, 
born  near  the  beginning  of  the  thirteenth 
century,  at  Celano,a  Neapolitan  village,  achieved 
fome  reputation  in  his  time  as  the  friend  and 
biographer  of  St.  Francis  de  Affifi,  founder  of 
the  Order  of  Minorites.  About  the  year  1 250,  as 
is  fuppofed,  he  wrote  a  brief  lvric,  which,  reach- 
ing above  and  beyond  his  creed  and  time,  has 
entered  in  fome  form  into  the  worfhip  of  every 
Chriftian  people.  In  the  Romifh  Burial  Ser- 
vice it  forms  the  Sequence  for  the  Dead,  and  is 
funo;  with  folemn  majefty  at  the  great  Sixtine 
Chapel,  while  portions  of  it  enter  into  the  praife 
or  meditations  of  nearly  cc  all  who  profefs  and 
call  themfelves  Chriftians."  So  that,  becoming 
more  highly  efteemed,  and  more  generally  known 
with  each  century  of  its  long  hiftory,  it  is  at  the 
prefent  time  both  fung  at  Rome  and  approved 
by  all  Proteftant  Chriltendom. 


The  Dies  Ira.  45 

A  long  lift  might  be  framed  of  the  great  who 
have  avowed  for  it  a  iupreme  admiration,  ex- 
celling that  yielded  to  any  other  compofition  of 
its  kind.  And  fuch  a  roll  would  contain  the 
names  of  men  of  different  countries  as  of  dif- 
ferent creeds  ;  of  foldiers,  ftatefmen  and  poets  ; 
of  hiftorians,  Churchmen,  and  compofers,  upon 
whofe  lips  it  has  hovered,  and  in  whole  works 
it  has  been  engraved.  Mozart,  Havdn,  Goethe, 
Schlegel,  Johnfon,  Drvden,  Scott,  Milman,  and 
Jeremy  Taylor  would  be  among  thefe  names. 

This  lyric,  which  is  the  great  eft  of  hymns, 
neverthelefs  is  caft  in  the  fimpleft  of  forms. 
Beginning  with  an  exclamation  from  the  Scrip- 
tures, it  continues  through  its  few  ftanzas  the 
addrefs  of  a  fingle  actor  upon  a  fingle  fubjeft. 
Its  meafure  could  not  be  more  artlefs,  nor  its 
ftanzas  more  fimple.  The  auguft  language  in 
which  it  is  clothed,  it  has  bent  into  the  form  of 
rhyme,  and  this  rhyme  is  of  a  kind  which  is 
faid  to  be  wanting  in  dignity,  and  better  adapt- 
ed to  comic  than  to  elevated  verf_\  Yet  it 
commands  the  homage  of  the  Engliftiman,  the 
German,   the    Italian,   and   the   modern  Greek  ; 


46  The  Dies  Ira. 

and  even  pofleffes  fo  ftrange  a  gift  of  fafcination, 
a  gift  in  which  no  other  compofition  equals  and. 
but  one  other  approaches  it,  that  the  very  found 
of  its  words  will  allure  him  who  is  ignorant  of 
their  meaning;. 

This  marvellous  power  cannot  be  meafured 
and  defined,  yet  a  diftinguifhed  American  cler- 
gvman  has  thus  clofelv  analvzed  it  :  "  Com- 
cc  bining  fomewhat  of  the  rhythm  of  claffical 
"  Latin,  wTith  the  rhvmes  of  the  mediaeval  Latin, 
cc  treating  of  a  theme  full  of  awful  fublimitv,  and 
cc  grouping  together  the  moft  ftartling  imagery  of 
"  Scripture  as  to  the  laft  Judgment,  and  throwing 
"  this  into  yet  ftronger  relief  by  the  barbaric  fim- 
"  plicity  of  the  ftyle  in  which  it  is  fet,  and  adding 
"  to  all  thefe  its  full  and  trumpet-like  cadences, 
"  and  uniting  with  the  impaffioned  feelings  of  the 
"  South,  whence  it  emanated,  the  gravity  of  the 
cc  North,  whofe  feverer  ftvle  it  adopted." — Dr. 
W.  R.  Williams, 

The  Great  Hymn  has  ever  allured  and  eluded 
tranflators.  Its  apparent  artleflhefs  and  fim- 
plicity  indicate  that  it  can  be  turned  readily  into 
another  language,  but  its  fecret  power  refufes  to 


The  Dies  Ira.  47 

be  thus  transferred.  A  German  theologian 
(Lifco,  Berlin,  1843)  nas  collected  and  pub- 
lifhed  eightv-feven  verfions,  nearly  all  of  which 
are  in  the  German.  In  our  Englifh  tongue  the 
talk  of  rendering  the  Latin  into  verfe  of  the 
fame  meafure  is  more  difficult,  and  fome  of  our 
translators  have  fought  to  reproduce  the  form, 
and  others  to  preferve  the  power  of  the  original. 
The  reader  of  Scott  will  remember  with  what 
ftrength  a  few  ftanzas  burft  on  us  in  the  firft 
reading  of  cc  The  Lav."  In  form  and  meaning 
thev  hardlv  claim  the  name  of  a  tranflation,  vet 
thev  have  caught  the  fpirit  of  the  hvmn  with  a 
vividnefs  that  nothing  in  our  language  equals. 

The  mafs  was  fung,  and  prayers  were  faid, 
And%folemn  requiem  for  the  dead  ; 
And  bells  tolPd  out  their  mighty  peal, 
For  the  departed  fpirit's  weal  ; 
And  ever  in  the  office  clofe 
The  hvmn  of  interceffion  rofe  ; 
And  far  the  echoing  aifles  prolong 
The  awful  burden  of  the  fong — 

Dies  Ir^e,   Dies   Ilea  ! 

solvet  sieclum  in   favilla  ; 


48  The  Dies  Ira. 

While  the  pealing  organ  rung  ; 
Were  it  meet  with  facred  (train 
To  clofe  my  lay  fo  light  and  vain, 

Thus  the  holy  Fathers  fung  : 


That  day  of  wrath,  that  dreadful  day  ! 
When  heaven  and  earth  fhall  pafs  away, 
What  power  fhall  be  the  finner's  ftay  ? 
How  fhall  he  meet  that  dreadful  day  ? 

When  fhrivelling  like  a  parched  fcroll 
The  flaming  heavens  together  roll  ; 
When  louder  yet,  and  yet  more  dread, 
Swells  the  high  trump  that  wakes  the  dead  ! 


Oh  !   on  that  day,  that  wrathful  day 
When  man  to   judgment  wakes  from  clay, 
Be  Thou  the  trembling  finner's  ftay, 
Though  heaven  and  earth  fhall  pafs  away  ! 


T/:e  Dies  Ira.  49 

I. 

The  eftablifhed  verfion  of  the  hymn  is 
known  as  that  of  Paris.  It  differs  in  but  one 
line  from  that  of  Rome,  which  has  for  the  third 
line  of  the  firft  ftanza,  Crucis  expandens  vexilla. 

There  have  been  ftanzas  prefixed  to  the  hymn 
and  others  added  ;  but,  in  its  great  ftrength,  it 
has  fhaken  off  all  fuch  fpurious  additions.  A 
marble  flab  in  the  Church  of  St.  Francis,  at 
Mantua,  bore  a  copy  of  the  hymn  prefaced 
by  five  ftanzas,  which  many  fcholars  have 
thought,  from  the  great  age  of  the  church, 
authentic.  But  the  church  is  a  century  vounger 
than  the  hymn,  and  thefe  ftanzas  condemn 
themfelves  : 

Dies  ilia,  dies  irae 

Quam  conemur  praevenire, 

Obveamque  Deo  irae. 

The  inverfion  of  the  Scriptural  text,  the 
poverty  of  the  rhyme,  and  the  weaknefs  of  the 
thought,  are  not  faults  of  the  Dies  iRiE.  Its 
author  undoubtedly  took  the  quotation  from 
Zephaniah  as  a  text,  and  placed  it  at  the  head 


50  The  Dies  Inc. 

of  his  compofition  ;  and  the  inverfion,  "Dies  ilia, 
dies  ircz"  is  the  play  upon  words  to  which  an 
imitator  alone  would  refort. 


11. 

The  author  of  the  firft  tranflation  given  in 
this  volume,  in  a  preface  to  his  w7ork,  fays  : 

"  A  production  univerfally  acknowledged  to 
"  have  no  fuperior  of  its  class  mould  be  as  lit— 
"  erally  rendered  as  the  ftruclure  of  the  lan- 
"  guage  mto  which  it  is  tranflated  will  admit. 
"  Moreover,  no  tranflation  can  be  complete 
"  which  does  not  conform  to  the  original  in  its 
u  rhvthmic  quantities.  The  mufic  of  the  Dies 
"  Ir^e  is  as  old  as  the  hymn,  if  not  older  ;  and 
"  with  thofe  who  are  familiar  with  both,  they 
"are  infeparably  connected  in  thought.  To 
cc  fatisfy  the  exactions  of  fuch  minds,  the  ca- 
"  dences  muft  be  the  fame." 

In  this  endeavor  the  author  has  fo  well  fuc- 
ceeded,  that  when  this  verfion  is  compared 
ftanza  by  ftanza  with  the  original,  it  will  be 
found  to  be  in  the  fame  trochaic  meafure,  in  the 


'The  Dies  Ira.  51 

fame  difficult  double  rhyme,  in  ftanzas  of  the 
fame  triplicate  conftruction,  and,  with  feweft 
errors,  to  be  as  a  tranflation  the  molt  literal  and 
juft  that  has  been  made.  Yet  this  fuccefs  in 
letters  was  achieved  by  a  foldier,  during  the 
gloomieft  period  of  a  great  and  diffracting  war. 
The  author  is  Major-General  John  A  Dix, 
U.  S.  V.,  and  the  tranflation  was  made  at 
Fortrefs  Monroe,  in  the  fecond  year  of  the 
Rebellion. 

III. 

The  intenfe  power  of  the  Great  Hymn  is 
alfo  exemplified  in  the  different  renderings  which 
have  been  made  bv  the  fame  author.  Dr.  Abra- 
ham Coles,  an  American  phvfician,  has  per- 
formed indeed  the  remarkable  talk  of  making 
thirteen  different  verfions  ;  fix  of  which  are  in 
the  trochaic  meafure  and  double  rhyme  of  the 
hymn,  and  all  are  fufficientlv  diftincr.  and  origi- 
nal to  form  the  creditable  work  of  thirteen 
different  men.  This  verfion  is  the  fir  ft  of  Dr. 
Coles.  * 


5 2  The  Dies  I/\v. 

IV. 

The  next  verfion  is  the  eleventh  of  Dr. 
Coles.  It  is  in  fingle  rhyme  and  iambic  verfe, 
and  therein  differs  from  the  original. 

V. 

This  verfion  is  by  that  nobleman  of  whom 
Pope  has  written  : 

"Such  was  Rofcommon,  not  more  learned  than  good, 
Of  manners  generous  as  his  noble  blood  : 
To  him  the  wit  of  Greece  and  Rome  was  known, 
And  every  author's  merit  but  his  own." 

And  of  whom  Dryden  has  confefled  : 

"  It  was  my  Lord  Rofcommon's  eflay  on 
u  tranflated  verfe  which  made  me  uneafy  till  I 
"  tried  whether  or  no  I  was  capable  of  follow- 
cc  ing  his  rules,  and  of  reducing  the  fpeculation 
wC  into  practice." 

And  of  whom  Johnfon  has  recorded  : 

cc  At  the  moment  in  which  he  expired,  he 
iC  uttered,  with  an  energv  of  voice  that  cxprefTcd 


The  Dies  Ira.  53 

cc  the   moft   fervent    devotion,  two   lines   of  his 
"  own  verfion  of  Dies  Irje  : 

1  My  God,  my  Father,  and  my  Friend, 
Do  not  forfake  me  in  my  end.'  " 

In  the  beautiful  fervor  of  its  devotion,  Rof- 
common's  excels  all  other  translations,  but  its 
verfe  is  not  that  of  the  Dies  Irje. 


VI. 

Craftiaw,  the  contemporary  of  Herbert,  and 
friend  of  Cowley,  is  the  author  of  this  verfion. 
It  is  the  oldeft  in  our  language  (1646),  though 
there  is  a  weak  paraphrafe  by  Drummond  of 
Hawthornden,  beginning  : 

Ah,  filly  foul  I    what  wilt  thou  fay 
When  He,  whom  heaven  and  earth  obev, 
Comes  man  to  judge  in  the  laft  day  ! 

No  tranflation  furpafles  Crafhaw's  in  ftrensth, 
but  the  form  of  his  ftanza  and  the  meafure  of 
his  verfe  are  lean1  like  thofe  of  the  original. 


54  ^he  Dies  Ira. 


I. 

THOMAS    DE    CELANO. 

Dies  irje,  dies  illa,  dies  tribulationis  et  anguftiae,  dies  calam- 
itatis  et  miferiae,  dies  tenebrarum  et  caliginis,  dies  nebulae  et 
turbinis,  dies  tubae  et  clangoris  fuper  civitatis  munitas,  et  fuper 
angulos  excelfos  ! — Sophonia,  i.  15,  16. 


DIES    IR^,    DIES    ILLA  ! 
Solvet  faeclum  in  favilla, 
Tefte   David   cum   Sybilla. 

11. 

Quantus  tremor  eft  futurus, 
Quando  Judex  eft  venturus, 
Cun&a  ftri&e  difcufTurus. 

in. 

Tuba  mirum  fpargens  fonum 
Per  fepulcra  regionum, 
Coget   omnes  ante  thronum. 


The  Dies  Ira.  55 


II. 

GENERAL    DIX. 

That  day,  a  day  of  wrath,  a  day  of  trouble  and  diftrefs,  a 
day  of  ivafenefs  and  defolation,  a  day  of  darknefs  and  gloom  inej.<, 
a  day  of  clouds  and  thick  darknefs,  a  day  of  the  trumpet  and  alarm 
againft    the  fenced  cities,   and  again/}   the   high   toivers  ! — Zeph- 

ANIAH,   i.    15,    l6. 


DAY  of  vengeance,  without  morrow  ! 
Earth  (hall  end  in  flame  and  forrow, 
As  from  Saint  and  Seer  we  borrow. 


Ah  !   what  terror  is  impending, 
When  the  Judge  is  ken  defcending, 
And  each  fecret  veil  is  rendinp;. 

o 

3- 
To  the  throne,  the  trumpet  founding, 
Through  the  fepuJchres  refounding, 
Summons  all,  with  voice  aftoundins;. 


56  The  Dies   Inc. 


Mors   ftupebit,   et   natura, 
Quum  refurget   creatura, 
Judicanti    refponfura. 

v. 

Liber  fcriptus  proferetur, 
In  quo  totum  continetur, 
Unde   mundus   judicetur. 

VI. 

Judex  ergo  cum   fedebit, 
Quidquid   latet,    apparebit  : 
Nil   inultum  remanebit. 

VII. 

Quid    ium,   mifer  !    tunc   dicturus, 
Quem  patronum  rogaturus, 
Quum   vix    juftus  i  1 1  fecurus  ? 


The  Dies  Ira.  57 


Death  and  Nature,  mazed,  are  quaking, 
When,  the  grave's  long  flumber  breaking, 
Man  to  judgment  is  awaking. 


On  the  written  Volume's  pages, 
Life  is  fhown  in  all  its  ftages — 
Judgment-record  of  paft  ages  ! 


Sits  the  Judge,  the  raifed  arraigning, 
Darkeft  myfteries  explaining, 
Nothing  unavenged  remaining. 

7- 

What  (hall  I  then  fav,  unfriended, 

Bv  no  advocate  attended, 

When  the   juft  are  fcarce  defended  ? 


58  ^ihe  Dies   \i\z. 


VIII. 


Rex  tremendae  majeftatis, 
Qui  falvandos  falvas  gratis, 
Salva   me,   fons   pietatis  ! 


IX. 


Recordare,  Jefu   pie, 
Quod   mm   cauia  tuae   viae  ; 
Ne   me   perdas  ilia  die  ! 


x. 


Quaerens  me,  fedifti  lafllis, 
Redemifti,  crucem  partus  : 
Tantus  labor  non  fit   caffus. 


XI. 


Jufte  Judex   ultionis, 
Domini   fac   remiflionis 

Ante    diem    rationis. 


Tbe  Dies  Ira.  59 


King  of  majeity  tremendous, 
Bv  Thy  faving  grace  defend  us, 
Fount  oi  pity,  fafetv  fend  us  ! 


Hoiv  Jesus,  meek,  forbearing, 

For  mv  fins  the  death-crown  wearing, 

Save  me,  in  that  dav,  defpairing. 

10. 

Worn  and  wearv,  Thou  haft  fought  me  ; 
Bv  Thv  crofs  and  paffion  bought  me — 
Spare  the  hope  Thv  labors  brought  me. 


1 1. 

Righteous  Judge  of  retribution, 
Give,  O  give  me  abfolution 
Ere  the  day  of  difTolution. 


6o  The  D/es  Ira. 


XII. 


Ingemifco  tanquam  reus, 
Culpa  rubet   vultus  meus  ; 
Supplicanti  parce,  Deus  ! 


XIII. 


Qui   Mariam  abiblvifti, 
Et  latronem   exaudifti, 
Mihi   quoque  fpem   dedifti. 


XIV. 


Preces  meae  non  funt  dignae, 
Sed  Tu  bonus  fac  benigne 
Ne  perenni   cremer  igne  ! 


xv. 


Inter  oves  locum  praefta, 
Et   ab   haedis   me  fequeftra, 
Statuens  in  parte  dextra. 


The  Dies  Ira.  61 

12. 

As  a  guilty  culprit  groaning, 
Plumed  mv  face,  mv  errors  owning, 
Hear,  O  God,  mv  fpirit's  moaning  ! 

Thou  to  Mary  gav'ft  remiffion, 
Heard'ft  the  dying  thief's  petition, 
Bad'ft  me  hope  in  my  contrition. 

14. 

In  mv  pravers  no  grace  difcerning, 
Yet  on  me  Thy  favor  turning, 
Save  mv  foul  from  endlefs  burning. 

Give  me,  when  Thv  fheep  confiding 
Thou  art  from  the  goats  dividing, 
On  Thy  right  a  place  abiding  ! 


62  The  Dies  Ira. 


XVI. 


Confutatis  maledidlis, 
Flammis  acribus  addictis, 
Voca   me   cum  benedictis 


XVII. 


Oro  fupplex  et  acclinis, 
Cor  contritum   quafi   cinis, 
Gere  curam  mei  finis. 


XVIII. 


Lacrymofa  dies  ilia  ! 
Qua  refurget  ex   favilla. 
Judicandus  homo  reus  ; 
Huic  ergo  parce,   Deus  ! 


The  Dies  Ira.  63 

16. 

When  the  wicked  are  confounded, 
And  bv  bitter  flames  furrounded, 
Be  my  joyful  pardon  founded  ! 


Proftrate,  all  mv  guilt  difcerning, 
Heart  as  though  to  afhes  turning  ; 
Save,  O  fave  me  from  the  burning  ! 


Dav  of  weeping,  when  from  allies 
Alan  mail  rife  mid  lightning  flafhes, 
Guilty,  trembling  with  contrition, 
Save  him,  Father,  from  perdition  ! 


64  The  Dies  Ira. 


III. 


DR.    COLES. 


I. 


P^AY  of  wrath,  that  day  of  burning, 
-■--^    Seer  and  fibyl  fpeak  concerning, 
All  the  world  to  allies  turning. 

2. 

Oh,  what  fear  fhall  it  engender, 
When  the  Judge  (hall  come  in  fplendor, 
StricT:  to  mark  and  juft  to  render. 

3- 
Trumpet  fcattering  founds  ofr  wonder, 
Rending  fepulchres  afunder, 
Shall  refiftlefs  fummons  thunder. 


THie  Dies  Ira.  65 


IV. 


DR.    COLES. 


I. 


DAY  of  wrath,  that  day  of  dole, 
When  a  fire  fhall  wrap  the  whole, 
And  the  earth  be  burnt  to  coal  ! 


2. 


O,  what  horror  fmiting  dumb 
When  the  Judge  of  all  {hall  come, 
Sinful  deeds  to  fearch  and  fum  ! 


Trump's  reverberating  roar 
Through  the  fepulchres  fhall  pour, 
Citing  all  the  Throne  before. 


66  The  Dies   Ira. 


All  aghaft  then  Death  (hall  fhiver, 
And  great  Nature's  frame  mail  quiver, 
When  the  graves  their  dead  deliver, 


Book  where  actions  are  recorded, 

All  the  ages  have  afforded 

Shall  be  brought,  and  dooms  awarded. 

6. 

When  mail  fit  the  Judge  unerring, 
He'll  unfold  all  here  occurring, 
No  juft  vengeance  then  deferring. 


7- 

What  fhall  I  fay,  that  time  pending  ? 
Afk  what  advocate's  befriending, 
When  the  juft  man  needs  defending  ? 


T/v  Dies  Ira.  67 


Death  and  Nature  ftand  aghaft, 
While  the  dead,  in  numbers  vaft, 
Rife  to  anfwer  for  the  paft. 


Volume  writ  by  God's  own  pen, 

Chronicling  the  deeds  of  men, 

Shall  be  brought,  and  dooms  be  then. 

6. 

When  the  Judge  (hall  fit,  behold  ! 
What  is  fecret  He'll  unfold, 
No  juft  punifhment  withhold. 


Ah  !   what  plea  fhall  I  prepare, 
To  what  Patron  make  mv  prayer, 
When  the  juft  well-nigh  defpair  ? 


68  The  Dies  Inc. 


Dreadful  King,  all  power  poflefling, 

Saving  freely  thofe  confeffing, 

Save  Thou  me,  O  Fount  of  Bleffing  ! 


Think,  O  Jesus,  for  what  reafon 

Thou  didft  bear  earth's  fpite  and  treafon, 

Nor  me  lofe  in  that  dread  feafon  ! 


10. 

Seeking  me  Thy  worn  feet  hafted, 
On  the  crofs  Thy  foul  death  tafted 
Let  fuch  travail  not  be  wafted  ! 


ii. 

Righteous  Judge  of  retribution  ! 
Make  me  gift  of  abfolution 
Ere  that  day  of  execution  ! 


The  Dies  Ira.  69 


King  majeftic  beyond  thought, 
Whofe  free  grace  cannot  be  bought, 
Save  me,  whofe  defert  is  naught  ! 

9- 

O  remember,  Jesus,  I 

Was  the  caufe  and  reafon  why 

Thou  didft  come  on  earth  to  die  ! 


10. 

Me  Thou  fought'ft  with  weary  feet, 
And  my  ranfom  didft  complete  : 
Let  fuch  pity  naught  defeat  ! 


11. 

Judge  inflexible  and  ftrict, 
Pardon,  ere  that  day  convict, 
And  th'  unchanging  doom  inflict  ! 


jo  The  Dies  Ira. 

12. 

Culprit-like  I  plead,  heart-broken, 
On  my  cheek  mame's  crimfon  token 
Let  the  pardoning  word  be  fpoken  ! 

Thou  who  Mary  gav'ft  remiffion, 
Heard'ft  the  dying  thief's  petition, 
Cheer'ft  with  hope  my  loft  condition. 


14. 

Though  my  prayers  be  yoid  of  merit, 
What  is  needful,  Thou  confer  it, 
Left  I  endlefs  fire  inherit  ! 


15. 

Be  there,  Lord,  my  place  decided 
With  Thy  fheep,  from  goats  divided, 
Kindly  to  Thy  right  hand  guided  ! 


T^be  Dies  Ira.  71 

12. 

Like  a  criminal  I  figh, 
Blufhing,  penitently  cry  : 
Pafs,  Lord,  my  offences  by ! 

Thou,  who  Mary  erft  didft  blefs, 
Heard'ft  the  thief  in  his  diftrefs  > 
Hope  has  given  me  no  lefs. 

14. 

Worthlefs  are  my  prayers  and  vain, 
But  in  love  do  not  difdain, 
Left  I  reap  eternal  pain  ! 

15- 

On  Thy  right  hand  grant  me  place 
Mid  the  fheep,  a  chofen  race — 
Far  from  goats  devoid  of  grace  ! 


72  The  Dies  Ira. 

ib. 

When  th'  accurfed  away  are  driven, 

To  eternal  burnings  given, 

Call  me  with  the  blefled  to  heaven  ! 


J7- 

I  befeech  Thee,  proftrate  lying, 
Heart  as  allies,  contrite,  fighing, 
Care  for  me  when  I  am  dying ! 


Day  of  tears  and  late  repentance, 
Man  fhall  rife  to  hear  his  fentence  : 
Him,  the  child  of  guilt  and  error, 
Spare,  Lord,  in  that  hour  of  terror  ! 


The  Dies  Ira.  73 

16. 

When  the  thunder  of  Thine  ire 
Headlong  hurls  to  quenchlefs  lire, 
Let  Thy  welcome  me  infpire  ! 


I7- 

I  entreat  Thee,  bending  low, 
Heart  as  afhes,  full  of  woe, 
Succor  in  mine  end  beftow  ! 


18. 

When  upon  that  day  of  tears 
Man  from  dull:  again  appears, 
Fate  depending  on  Thy  nod  : 
Spare  the  finner  then,  O  God  ! 


74  ^he  Dies  Ira. 


V. 


EARL    ROSCOMMON. 


nr^HE  day  of  wrath,  that  dreadful  dav, 
A      Shall  the  whole  world  in  afhes  lay, 
As  David  and  the  Sibyls  fay. 

2. 
What  horror  will  invade  the  mind 
When  the  ftrift  Judge,  who  would  be  kind, 
Shall  have  few  venial  faults  to  find. 


3- 

The  laft  loud  trumpet's  wondrous  found 
Shall  through  the  rending  tombs  rebound, 
And  wake  the  nations  under  ground. 


The  Dies  Ira:.  75 


VI. 


RICHARD    CRASHAW. 


HE AR'ST  thou,  my  foul,  what  ferious  things 
Both  the  Pfalm  and  Sibyl  fings 
Of  a  fure  Judge,  from  whofe  {harp  ray 
The  world  in  flames  mall  fly  away  ! 

2. 

O  that  Fire  !   before  whofe  face 
Heaven  and  earth  fhall  find  no  place  : 
O  thofe  Eyes  !   whofe  angry  light 
Aluft  be  the  day  of  that  dread  night. 

3- 

O  that  Trump  !   whofe  blaft.  fhall  run 
An  even  round  with  th'  circling  Sun, 
And  urge  the  murmuring  graves  to  bring 
Pale  mankind  forth  to  meet  his  King. 


76  The  Dies  Ira. 

4- 
Nature  and  death  (hall  with  furprife 
Behold  the  pale  offender  rife, 
And  view  the  Judge  with  confcious  eyes. 


5; 
Then  (hall,  with  univerfal  dread, 
The  facred,  myftic  book  be  read 
To  try  the  living  and  the  dead. 

6. 

The  Judge  afcends  His  awful  throne  \ 
He  makes  each  fecret  fin  be  known, 
And  all  with  fhame  confefs  their  own. 


7- 
O  then,  what  intereft  (hall  I  make 
To  fave  my  laft  important  ftake 
When  the  moft  juft  have  caufe  to  quake  ! 


The  Dies   Ira, 

4- 

Horror  of  Nature,  Hell,  and  Death  ! 
When  a  deep  groan  from  beneath 
Shall  cry,  "  We  come,  we  come  ["  and  all 
The  caves  of  night  anfwer  one  call. 

5- 

O  that  book  !   whofe  leaves  fo  bright 
Will  fet  the  world  in  fevere  light. 
O  that  Judge  !   whofe  hand,  whofe  eve 
None  can  endure,  yet  none  can  fly. 


Ah  then,  poor  foul  !   what  wilt  thou  fay  ? 
And  to  what  patron  choofe  to  pray, 
When  ftars  themfelves  fhall  ftagger,  and 
The  moft  firm  foot  no  more  fhall  ftand  ? 

7- 

But  Thou  giv'ft  leave,  dread  Lord,  that  v/c 
Take  fhelter  from  Thyfelf  in  Thee  ; 
And  with  the  wings  of  Thine  own  dove 
Fly  to  Thy  fceptre  of  foft  love  ! 


77 


78  $be  Dies  Ira. 

8. 

Thou  mighty,  formidable  King  ! 
Thou  mercy's  unexhaufted  fpring, 
Some  comfortable  pity  bring ! 


9- 
Forget  not  what  my  ranfom  coft  ; 
Nor  let  my  dear-bought  foul  be  loft, 
In  ftorms  of  guilty  terrors  toft. 

10. 

Thou  who  for  me  didft  feel  fuch  pain, 
Whofe  precious  blood  the  crofs  did  ftain, 
Let  not  thefe  agonies  be  vain  ! 

ii. 

Thou  whom  avenging  powers  obey, 
Cancel  mv  debt,  too  great  to  pay, 
Before  the  fad  accounting  day  ! 


The  Dies   Ira.  79 


Dear  [Lord],  remember  in  that  day 
Who  was  the  caufe  Thou  cam'ft  this  way  ; 
Thy  fheep  was  ftrayed,  and  Thou  wouldft  be 
Even  loft  Thyfelf  in  feeking  me  ! 

9- 

Shall  all  that  labor,  all  that  eoft 
Of  love,  and  even  that  lofs,  be  loft  ? 
And  this  loved  foul  judged  worth  no  lefs 
Than  all  that  way  and  wearinefs  ? 

10. 

Juft  Mercy,  then,  Thv  reckoning  be 
With  my  price,  and  not  with  me  ; 
'Twas  paid  at  firft  with  too  much  pain 
To  be  paid  twTice,  or  once  in  vain. 

1 1. 

Mercy,  my  Judge,  mercv  I  crv, 
With  bluftiing  cheek  and  bleeding  eye  \ 
The  confcious  colors  of  mv  fin 
Arc  red  without,  and  pale  within, 


8o  The  Dies  Ira. 

12. 

Surrounded  with  amazing  fears, 
Whofe  load  my  foul  with  anguifh  bears, 
I  figh,  I  weep  !  accept  my  tears  ! 

Thou  who  wert  moved  with  Mary's  grief, 

And  by  abfolving  of  the  thief 

Haft  given  me  hope,  now  give  relief! 

14. 

Reject  not  my  unworthy  praver  ; 
Preferve  me  from  the  dangerous  fnare 
Which  death  and  gaping  hell  prepare. 

15- 

Give  my  exalted  foul  a  place 
Among  Thy  chofen  right-hand  race, 
The  fons  of  God  and  heirs  of  grace. 


T/v  Dies  Ira.  81 

12. 

O  let  Thine  own  foft  bowels  pay 
Thyfelf,  and  fo  difcharge  that  day  ! 
If  Sin  can  figh,  Love  can  forgive, 
O,  fav  the  word,  mv  foul  fhall  live  ! 

Thofe  mercies  which  Thy  Mary  found, 
Or  who  Thy  crofs  confefs'd  and  crowned, 
Hope  tells  my  heart  the  fame  loves  be 
Still  alive,  and  ftill  for  me. 

Though  both  my  prayers  and  tears  combine, 
Both  worthlefs  are,  for  they  are  mine  ; 
But  Thou  Thy  bounteous  felf  ftill  be, 
And  mow  Thou  art  by  faving  me. 

15- 
O  when  Thy  laft  frown  mall  proclaim 
The  flocks  of  goats  to  folds  of  flame, 
And  all  Thy  loft  fheep  found  fhall  be, 
Let  cc  Come  ye  bleffed  "  then  call  me  ! 


82  The  Dies  Ira. 

16. 

From  that  infatiable  abyfs, 

Where  flames  devour  and  ferpents  hifs, 

Promote  me  to  thy  feat  of  blifs. 


'7- 

Proflrate  my  contrite  heart  I  rend, 
My  God,  my  Father,  and  my  Friend  : 
Do  not  forfake  me  in  my  end  ! 

18. 

Well  may  they  curfe  their  fecond  breath 
Who  rife  to  a  reviving  death  : 
Thou  great  Creator  of  mankind, 
Let  guilty  man  compaflion  find  ! 


The  Dies  Ira.  83 

16. 

When  the  dread  "  ITE  "  fhall  divide 
Thofe  limbs  of  death  from  Thy  left  fide, 
Let  thofe  life-fpeaking  lips  command 
That  I  inherit  Thy  right  hand  ! 

17. 

O,  hear  a  fuppliant  heart  all  crulh'd, 
And  crumbled  into  contrite  dull  ! 
My  hope,  my  fear — my  Judge,  my  Friend  ! 
Take  charge  of  me,  and  of  mv  end  ! 


84  The  Stabat  Mater. 


THE    STABAT    MATER. 


THE  Stabat  Mater,  with  the  Dies  Ira, 
pofleffes  the  power  of  imparting  a  fhad- 
owy  impreflion  of  its  meaning  by  the  melody  of 
its  verfe.  Its  foft,  fad  cadence  echoes  the  feeling 
of  its  pathetic  words.  In  fame  it  ranks  next  to 
the  Dies  Ira,  yet  is  neither  fo  fimple  nor  fo 
grand  ;  nor  does  it  rife,  like  the  Great  Hymn, 
above  fectarian  faults.  It  has  attracted  the  fame 
great  admiration,  and  been  praifed  and  repeated 
by  the  fame  great  admirers,  but  alwavs  in  a 
lefTer  degree.  As  the  Dies  Ira  has  been  pro- 
nounced the  greater!,  fo  the  Stabat  Mater 
univerfally  is  deemed  the  mod  pathetic  of 
hymns. 

The  life  of  its  author  was  in  fit  keeping  with 
its  plaintive  utterances.  He  was  born  at  Todi, 
of  the  noble  Italian  houfe  of  Benedette,  and 
rofe    to    diftin&ion    as    a    jurift.      A    few    years 


<The  Stabat  Mater.  85 

after  the  Dies  Ira?  was  written  (1268),  he  loft 
his  wife,  and,  broken-hearted,  renounced  the 
world  to  join,  like  Thomas  of  Celano,  the 
Order  of  St.  Francis.  In  the  ardor  of  his  devo- 
tion, he  tried  to  atone  by  felf-fought  tortures 
not  only  for  his  own  fins,  but,  like  our  Saviour, 
for  the  fins  of  others.  At  laft  his  forrows  fank 
into  infanity  and  ended  in  death. 

Dying  about  the  time  that  Petrarch  was  born, 
and  while  Dante  was  ftill  a  voung  man,  his 
Cantace  Spiritual!  mark  the  dawning  day  of 
the  Italian  language.  In  an  old  Venetian 
copy  of  thefe,  the  hiftorian  of  the  Francif- 
cans  (Wadding)  found  a  number  of  Latin 
poems,  amongft  which  was  the  Stabat  Mater, 
and  thus  eftablifhed  for  the  Order  of  St.  Francis 
the  honor  of  producing,  within  the  fame  cen- 
tury, the  two  moft  celebrated  of  Latin  hymns. 

Few  Englifh  verfions  of  the  Stabat  Mater 
have  been  made,  and  not  one  which  ftrictly 
preferves  its  meafure.  That  of  Lord  Lintiiav 
is  felecled  here  as  beft  exprefiing  the  pathos  of 
the  original. 
6 


86  Tbe  Stabat  Mater. 


STAB  AT     MATER. 


JACOBUS    DE    BENEDICTIS. 


STABAT  Mater  dolorofa, 
Juxta  crucem   lacrymofa, 
Dum   pendebat   filius. 
Cujus  animam  gementem, 
Contriftatam    et    dolentem, 
Pertranfivit  glad i us, 


ii. 

O  quam  triftis  et  affli£la, 
Fuit   ilia  benedicSta 

Mater  unigeniti  ! 
Quae  moerebat   et   dolebat^ 
Pia   mater,   dum   videbat 

Nati   poenas  inclyti. 


The  Stabat  Muter.  87 


THE    STABAT    MATER. 


LORD    LINDSAY. 


BY  the  Crofs,  fad  vigil  keeping, 
Stood  the  mournful  mother  weeping, 
While  on  it  the  Saviour  hung  ; 
In  that  hour  of  deep  diftrefs, 
Pierced  the  fword  of  bitternefs 

Through  her  heart  with  forrow  wrung. 


Oh  !   how  fad,  how  woe-begone 
Was  that  ever-bleiled  one, 

Mother  of  the  Son  of  God  ! 
Oh  !   what  bitter  tears  me  fried 
Whilft  before  her  Jesus  bled 

'Xeath  the  Father's  penal  rod 


88  The  Stabat  Mater. 

in. 

Quis   eft   homo   qui   non   fleret, 
Chrifti   matrem  fi  videret 

In  tanto  fupplicio  ? 
Quis  poffet  non  contriftari 
Piam   matrem   contemplari 

Dolentem   cum   filio  ? 

IV. 

Pro  peccatis  fuae  gentis, 
Vidit  Jefum  in  tormentis, 

Et   flagellis  fubditum. 
Vidit   fuum   dulcem   natum, 
Morientem,   defolatum, 

Dum   emifit   fpiritum. 


Eia   mater,   fons  amoris, 
Me   fentire   vim   doloris 

Fac,   ut   tecum   lugeam. 
Fac   ut  ardeat  cor  meum, 
In   amando   Chriftum    Deum 

Ut   illi   complaceam. 


TZv  Stabat  Muter.  89 

3- 

Who's  the  man  could  view  unmoved 
Christ's  fweet  mother,  whom  He  loved, 

In  liich  dire  extremity  : 
Who  his  pitving  tears  withhold, 
Christ's  fweet  mother  to  behold 

Sharing  in  His  agony  ? 

4- 
For  the  Father's  broken  law, 
Mary  thus  the  Saviour  faw 

Sport  of  human  cruelties — 
Saw  her  fweet,  her  onlv  Son, 
God-forfaken  and  undone, 

Die  a  finlefs  facrifice  ! 

5- 

Mary  mother,  fount  of  love, 
Make  me  fhare  thy  forrcw,  move 

All  my  foul  to  fvmpathv  ' 
Make  mv  heart  within  me  glow 
With  the  love  of  Jesus — fo 

Shall  I  find  acceptancv. 


90  ^The  Stabat  Mater. 

VI. 

Sanita   Mater,  iftud  agas, 
Crucifixi   fige  plagas 

Cordi   meo   valide. 
Tui   Nati   vulnerati, 
Tam   dignati  pro   me  pati, 

Poenas  mecum  divide. 

VII. 

Fac   me   vere  tecum   flere, 
Crucifixo  condolere, 

Donee   ego   vixero. 
Juxta  crucem  tecum   ftare, 
Et   tibi   me  fociare 

In   planctu   defidero. 

VIII. 

Virgo   virginum    praeclara, 
Mihi  jam   non  fis  amara  ; 

Fac   me   tecum   plangere. 
Fac   ut  portem  Chrifti  mortem 
Paflionis   fac  confortem, 

Et   plagas   recolcre. 


The  Stabat  Mater.  91 

6. 

Print,  O  Mother,  on  my  heart, 
Deeply  print  the  wounds,  the  fmart 

Of  my  Saviour's  chaftifement  ; 
He  who,  to  redeem  my  lofs, 
Deigned  to  bleed  upon  the  crofs — 

Make  me  mare  His  punifhment. 

7- 
Ever  with  thee,  at  thy  fide, 
'Neath  the  Christ,  the  Crucified, 

Mournful  mother,  let  me  be  ! 
Bv  the  Crofs  fad  vigil  keeping, 
Ever  watchful,  ever  weeping, 

Thy  companion  conftantly  ! 

8. 

Maid  of  maidens,  undefiled, 
Mother  gracious,  mother  mild, 

Melt  my  heart  to  weep  with  thee  ! 
Crown  me  with  Christ's  thorny  wreath, 
Make  me  confort  of  His  death, 

Sharer  of  His  vi&ory. 


92  The  Stabat  Mater. 

IX. 

Fac  me  plagis  vulnerari, 
Fac   me   cruce   inebriari, 

Et  cruore  filii. 
Inflammatus  et  accenfus, 
Per  te,  Virgo,  fim  defenfus, 

In  die  judicii. 

x. 

Fac  me  cruce  cuftodiri, 
Morte   Chrifti  praemuniri, 

Confoveri  gratia. 
Quando  corpus    morietur, 
Fac  ut  animae  donetur 

Paradifi  gloria. 


"The  Stabat  Mater.  93 

9- 

Never  from  the  mingled  tide 
Flowing  ftill  from  Jesus'  fide, 

May  my  lips  inebriate  turn  ; 
And  when  in  the  day  of  doom, 
Lightning-like  He  rends  the  tomb, 

Shield,  oh  fhield  me,  left  I  burn  ! 

10. 

So  the  fhadow  of  the  tree 
Where  thy  Jesus  bled  for  me 

Still  mail  be  mv  fortalice  ; 
So  when  flefh  and  fpirit  fever 
Shall  I  live,  thv  boon,  for  ever 

In  the  joys  of  Paradife  ! 


94  The  f'eni  Sanctc. 


THE    VENI    SANCTE    SPIRITUS. 


N  the  year  997,  "  whilft  the  priefthood  ftrug- 
"gled  to  regain  through  their  anathemas  the 
"  property  that  had  been  taken  from  them  by 
"  violence,  a  young  man,  who  knew  neither  to 
"  threaten  nor  to  lie,  nor  to  infpire  others  with 
"  fear,  fucceeded  to  the  royal  dignity  which  his 
"  father  had  ufurped.  It  was  Robert,  only  fon 
"  of  Hugh  Capet." — Sifmondi,  Hiji.  Francois, 

This  King,  "  there  is  no  good  reafon  to 
"  doubt"  (Korugsfeld),  was  the  author  of  the 
Veni  Sanxte  Spiritus,  a  hymn  that  the  beft 
living  authority  regards  as  "  the  lovelieft  of  all 
u  the  hymns  in  the  whole  circle  of  Latin  facred 
u  poetry." — Trench. 

The  ability  of  Robert  II.  to  have  compofed 
the  hymn  which  ranks  next  to  the  Dies  Ir<z  and 


The  Veni  Sancre.  q$ 

Stabat  Mater,  is  not  improbable,  for,  according 
to  the  chronicle  of  Saint  Bertin,  he  was  a  faint, 
a  poet,  and  a  mufician  : 

"  Robert  etoit  tres-pieux,  prudent,  lettre,  et  fuffilam merit  phi- 
"lofophe,  mais  furtout  excellent  muiieien.  II  compofa  la  profe 
"  du  Saint-Efprit,  qui  commence  par  ces  mots,  Adfit  nobis  gratia^ 
"  les  rhythmes,  Jud<z  et  Hierufalem,  et  Cornelius  Centuric,  qu'il 
"  offrit  a  Rome  fur  Tautel  de  Saint-Pierre,  notes  avec  le  chant 
"  qui  leur  etoit  propre,  de  meme  que  Tantiphone  Eripe,  et  plu- 
"  fieurs  autres  beaux  morceaux." 

The  tranilation  which  is  here  given  is  from 
the  Lyra  Germanica  of  Catherine  Wink  worth. 
That  work  profeffes  to  be  translated  from  the 
German  \  but  its  verfion  of  the  Veni  Sancte 
Spiritus  is  a  finer  translation  than  any  that  pro- 
feffes to  be  from  the  Latin, 


96  The  Veni  Sancle. 


VENI    SANCTE    SPIRITUS. 


ROBERT    II. 


"1  7ENI,   Sancte  Spiritus, 

*         Et  emitte  coelitus, 
Lucis  tuae  radium. 


II. 

Veni,  pater  pauperum, 
Veni,  dator  munerum, 
Veni,   lumen   cordium. 

in. 

Confolator  optime, 
Dulcis   hofpes  animae, 
Dulce   refrigerium. 


The  Veni  Sancfe.  97 


THE    VENT    SANCTE    SPIRITUS. 


CATHERINE    WINKWORTH. 


HOLY  GHOST  !     Thou  fire  divine  ! 
P^rom  higheft  heaven  on  us  down  fhine  ; 
Comforter,  be  Thy  comfort  mine  ! 


Come,  Father  of  the  poor,  to  earth  ; 
Come  with  Thv  gifts  of  precious  worth  ; 
Come,  Light  of  all  of  mortal  birth  ! 

3- 

Thou  rich  in  comfort  !      Ever  bleft 

The  heart  where  Thou  art  conftant  gueft, 

Who  giv'ft  the  heavv-laden  reft. 


98  The  Vent  Sancie. 


IV. 


In  labore.  requies, 
In  aeftu  temperies, 
In  fletu  iblatium. 


O   lux  beatiffima  ! 
Reple  cordis  intima, 
Tuorum  fidelium. 

VI. 

Sine  tuo  numine, 
Nihil  eft  in  homine, 
Nihil  eft  innoxium. 

VII. 

Lava  quod  eft  fordid um, 
Riga  quod  eft  aridum, 
Sana  quod   eft  faucium. 


The  Feni  Sancie.  99 


Come  Thou  in  whom  our  toil  is  fweet, 
Our  fhadow  in  the  noon-dav  heat, 
Before  whom  mourning  flieth  fleet. 

5- 

Bright  Sun  of  Grace  !      Thy  funfhine  dart 
On  all  who  cry  to  Thee  apart, 
And  fill  with  gladnefs  every  heart. 


Whate'er  without  Thy  aid  is  wrought, 
Or  fkilful  deed,  or  wifeft  thought, 
God  counts  it  vain  and  merely  naught. 

O  cleanfe  us  that  we  fin  no  more, 
O'er  parched  fouls  Thy  waters  pour  ; 
Heal  the  fad  heart  that  acheth  fore. 


100  The  Veni  Sanffe. 


VIII. 


Flecte  quod  eft  rigidum, 
Fove  quod  eft  frigidum, 
Rege  quod   eft  devium. 


IX. 


Da  tuis  fidelibus, 
In  te   confidentibus, 
Sacrum  feptenarium. 


x. 


Da  virtutis  meritum, 
Da   falutis  exitum, 
Da   perenne   gaudium. 


ft 


The  Veni  Sanffe.  101 


Thv  will  be  ours  in  all  our  ways  ; 
O  melt  the  frozen  with  Thv  ravs  ; 
Call  home  the  loft  in  error's  maze. 


And  grant  us,  Lord,  who  crv  to  Thee, 
And  hold  the  Faith  in  unity, 
Thy  precious  gifts  of  charity. 

10. 

That  we  may  live  in  holinefs, 
And  find  in  death  our  happinefs, 
And  dwell  with  Thee  in  lafting  blifs  ! 


102  'The  Vent   Creator. 


THE   VENI    CREATOR    SPIRITUS. 


"^HARLEMAGNE,  reclame  par  l'Eglife 
^^  comme  un  faint,  par  les  Francais  comme 
"  leur  plus  grand  roi,  par  les  Allemands  comme 
u  leur  compatriote,  par  les  Italiens  comme  leur 
"  ernpereur,"  is  the  reputed  author  of  this 
Latin  hymn.  Men  naturally  prefer  to  trace  a 
venerable  and  renowned  compoiition  to  an  un- 
expected authorfhip,  and  to  find  the  refinement 
of  letters  in  thofe  otherwife  diftinguifhed  ;  ftill 
more,  to  difcover  in  a  great  foldier  and  a  great 
king  the  doubly  refined  gift  of  jacred  poetry. 
It  is  not  impofiible.  "  The  eloquence  of  Char- 
"  lemagne,"  fays  his  Secretary,  "  was  abundant. 
cc  He  was  able  to  exprefs  with  facility  all  he 
cc  wiflied  ;  and,  not  content  with  his  mother- 
cc  tongue,  he  bellowed  great  pains  upon  foreign 
"  languages.  He  had  taken  fo  well  to  the  Latin, 
cc  that  he  was  able  to  fpeak  publicly  in  that  Ian- 


The  Vent   Creator.  103 

"  guage   almoft    as    eafilv   as    in    his   own.       He 
"  understood  Greek,  and  ftudied  Hebrew." 

There  remains  of  his  muie  an  epitaph  on 
Adrian  I.,  in  thirty-eight  veries  ;  the  Song  of 
Roland ,  an  ode  to  the  fcholar  Warnefride,  and 
an  epigram  in  hexameter  verfe.  This  epigram 
was  found  in  a  manufcript  containing  a  com- 
mentary on  the  Epiftle  to  the  Romans,  attributed 
to  Origen,  and  corrected  in  the  hand  of  Char- 
lemagne. The  fubjecf.  of  the  hymn  feems  alio 
to  have  engaged  the  attention  of  the  Emperor, 
for  there  is  a  letter  bv  him  addrefTed  to  his 
bifhops,  entitled  De  gratia  feptiformis  Spiritus. 
He  died  at  Aix-la-Chapelle,  his  crown  upon  his 
head,  and  his  copy  of  the  Gofpels  upon  his 
knees. 

The  Englifh  verfion  of  the  ru'mn  is  the  para- 
phraie  of  Dryden,  of  which  Warton  fays  :  "This 
"  is  a  moil:  elegant  and  beautiful  little  morfel, 
cc  and  one  of  his  moft  correct  compofitions.'' 
There  is  a  tranflation  in  the  Prayer  Book  (Or- 
dering of  Priefts)  which  is  noteworthy,  as  being 
the  only  Breviary  hymn  retained  by  the  Epifco- 
pal  Church. 
7 


104  The  Veni  Creator. 

VENI    CREATOR    SPIRITUS. 

CHARLEMAGNE. 

VENI,  Creator  Spiritus, 
Mentes   tuorum   vifita, 
Imple   fuperna   gratia, 
Quae  tu  creafti  pecTiora. 

Qui  diceris  Paraclitus, 
Altiffimi   donum   Dei, 
Fons  vivus,   ignis,   charitas, 
Et  fpiritalis  unctio. 

Tu  feptiformis  munere, 
Digitus   Paternae  dexterae, 
Tu  rite  promirTum   Patris, 
Sermone  ditans  guttura. 

Accende  lumen  fenfibus, 
Infunde  amorem   cordibus, 
Infirma  noftri  corporis 
Virtute   hrmans   perpeti. 


T/v  Veni  Creator.  105 


THE    VENI    CREATOR    SPIRITUS. 

DRYDEN. 

CREATOR  Spirit,  by  whofe  aid 
The  world's  foundations  firft  were  laid, 
Come  vifit  every  pious  mind, 
Come  pour  Thy   joys  on  human  kind  ; 
From  fin  and  forrow  fet  us  free, 
And  make  Thy  temples  worthy  Thee. 

O  source  of  uncreated  light, 
The  Father's  promifed  Paraclete  ! 
Thrice  holy  fount,  thrice  holy  fire, 
Our  hearts  with  heavenly  love  infpire  ; 
Come,  and  Thy  facred  unction  bring, 
To  fanctify  us  while  we  fing. 

Plenteous  of  grace,  defcend  from  high, 

Rich  in  Thv  fev enfold  energy  ! 

Thou  ftrength  of  His  almighty  hand, 

Whofe  power  does  heaven  and  earth  comma 

Proceeding  Spirit,  our  defence, 

Who  doil  the  gifts  of  tongues  difpenfe, 

And  crown'ft  Thv  gift  with  eloquence  ! 


lo6  T'be  Feni  Creator. 

Hoftem   repellas   longius, 
Pacemque  dones  protinus  : 
Ductore  fie  te  praevio 
Vitemus  omne  noxium. 

Per  te  fciamus  da  Patrem, 
Nofcamus  atque  Filium  ; 
Teque   utriufque   Spiritum 
Credamus  omni   tempore. 

Deo   Patri  fit  gloria 
Et   Filio   qui   a   mortuis 
Surrexit,   ac   Paraclito, 
In  faeculorum  faecula. 


T/v  Veni  Creator \  107 

Refine  and  purge  our  earthlv  parts  ; 
But,  oh,  inflame  and  fire  our  hearts  ! 
Our  frailties  help,  our  vice  control, 
Submit  the  fenfes  to  the  foul  ; 
And  when  rebellious  thev  are  grown, 
Then  lav  Thv  hand  and  hold  'em  down. 

Chase  from  our  minds  th'  infernal  foe, 
And  peace  the  fruit  of  love  beftow  ; 
And  left  our  feet  mould  ftep  aftrav, 
Protect  and  guide  us  on  the  wav. 

Make  us  eternal  truths  receive, 
And  praclife  all  that  we  believe  ; 
Give  us  Thvfelf,  that  wTe  may  fee 
The  Father  and  the  Son  by  Thee, 

Immortal  honor,  endlefs  fame, 

Attend  the  Almighty  Father's  name  : 

The  Saviour  Son  be  glorified, 

Who  for  loft  man's  redemption  died  ;         , 

And  equal  adoration  be, 

Eternal  Paraclete,  to  Thee. 


io8  T/v  Vexilla  Regis. 


THE    VEXILLA    REGIS. 


THE  Vexilla  Regis  was  written  about 
the  year  580 — two  hundred  years  before 
the  time  of  Charlemagne,  and  kven  hundred 
years  before  the  birth  of  the  Englifh  language. 
It  is  therefore  one  of  the  oldeft  of  mediaeval 
hymns. 

Venantius  Fortunatus,  an  Italian,  whofe  birth- 
place is  unknown,  was  in  early  life  a  citizen  of 
Ravenna,  from  which  he  was  driven  bv  the 
great  invafion  of  the  Lombards.  He  palled  into 
France,  and  became  the  fafhionable  poet  of  his 
time.  Subfequently  he  devoted  his  talents  to  a 
holier  object,  and  became  the  friend  of  Saint 
Radegunde  and  Saint  Gregory.      He  removed  to 

Tours,   was   made   Bifhop  of  Poitiers,  and   died 

■ 
about  the  vear  600. 


-The  Fexilla  Regis.  109 

u  This  world-famous  hymn,  one  of  the  grand- 
eft  in  the  treafury  of  the  Latin  Church,  was 
compofed  by  Fortunatus  on  occaiion  of  the 
reception  of  certain  relics  by  Saint  Gregory  of 
Tours  and  Saint  Radegunde,  preyiouily  to  the 
confecration  of  a  church  at  Poitiers.  It  is 
therefore  ftrictlv  and  primarily  a  proceffional 
hymn,  though,  very  naturally,  afterwards  adapted 
to  Paffion-tide." — Mediceval  Hymns. 

"  C'eft  de  Fortunat  qu'eft  le  Vexilla  Regis 
compofe,  a  l'occafion  du  morceau  de  la  yraie 
croix,  envove  par  l'empereur  Juftin  a  St.  Rade- 
gonde. " — Biographie  Univerfelle. 

The  laft  two  verfes  were  added  when  the 
hymn  was  appropriated  to  Pafnon-tide.  The 
ending  of  Fortunatus  is  this  : 

"  With  fragrance  dropping  from  each  bough, 
Sweeter  than  Aveeteft  nectar  thou  : 
Decked  with  the  fruit  of  peace  and  praife, 
And  glorious  with  Triumphal  lays: — 

"Hail,  Altar!    Hail,  O  Victim  !   Thee 
Decks  now  Thy  Paffion's  Vi&oryj 
Where  Life  for  finners  death  endured, 
And  life  by  death  for  man  procured." 


no  The  Fexilla  Regis. 


VEXILLA     REGIS. 


FORTUNATUS. 


VEXILLA  regis  prodeunt, 
Fulget  crucis  myfterium, 
Quo  carne  carnis  conditor 
Sufpenfus  eft  patibulo. 

ii. 

Quo   vulneratus  infuper 
Mucrone   diro  lanceae, 
Ut  nos  lavaret  crimine 
Manavit   unda  fanguine. 

in. 

Impleta   funt  quae  concinit 
David   fideli   carmine 
Dicens  :    In   nationibus 
Regnavit  a   ligno   Deus. 


The  Fexttla  Regis.  ill 


THE    VEXILLA    REGIS. 


DR.     NEALE. 


I. 

THE   Royal   Banners  forward  go  ; 
The  Crofs  mines  forth  in  mvftic  glow  ; 
Where  He  in  flefh,  our  flefh  who  made, 
Our  fentence  bore,  our  ranfom  paid. 


Where  deep  for  us  the  fpear  was  dv'd, 
Life's  torrent  rufhing  from  His  fide, 
To  wafh  us  in  that  precious  flood 
Where  mingled  water  flow'd,  and  blood. 

3- 

Fulfill'd  is  all  that  David  told 

In  true  prophetic  fong  of  old  ; 

Amidft  the  nations  God,  faith  he, 

Hath  reign'd  and  triumph'd  from  the  Tree. 


112  The  Fexilla  Regis. 

IV. 

Arbor  decora  et  fulgida, 
Ornata  regis  purpura, 
Electa  digno  ftipite 
Tam  fan£ta  membra  tangere. 

v. 

Beata   cujus  brachtis 
Pretium   pependit  feculi, 
Statera   faclia  feculi 
Praedamque  tulit  tartaris. 

VI. 

O   crux  ave,   fpes  unica  ! 
Hoc   pamonis  tempore, 
Aug;e   piis  inftitiam 
Reifque   dona   veniam. 

VIT. 

Te  fumma  Deus  Trinitas 
Collaudet  omnis  fpiritus 
Quas  per  crucis  myfterium 
Salvas,  rege  per  faecula. 


T/v  Vexilla  Regis.  in 

4- 

O  Tree  of  Beauty  !    Tree  of  Light  ! 
O  Tree  with  roval  purple  dight  ! 
Elect  on  whole  triumphal  breaft 
Thofe  holy  limbs  fhould  find  their  reft  ! 

5- 
On  whofe  dear  arms,  fo  widely  flung, 
The  weight  of  this  world's  ranfom  hung  : 
The  price  of  human  kind  to  pay, 
And  fpoil  the  Spoiler  of  his  prey. 

6. 

O  Crofs,  our  one  reliance,  hail  ! 
This  holy  Pailion-tide,  ayail 
To  give  frefh  merit  to  the  faint, 
And  pardon  to  the  penitent. 

7- 

To  Thee,  Eternal  Three  in  One, 
Let  homage  meet  bv  all  be  done  ; 
Whom  by  the  Crofs  Thou  doft  reftore, 
Preferve  and  govern  evermore. 


l  14  The  Alleluiatic  Sequence. 


THE     ALLELUIATIC     SEQUENCE. 


THIS  famous  Sequence,  which  mav  be  re- 
garded as  the  parent  of  every  Hallelujah 
Chorus  that  has  been  written  fince,  was  com- 
pofed  by  Godefcalcus,  prior  to  the  year  950 — the 
year  of  his  death.  The  little  that  is  known  of 
him  is  given  by  his  translator. 

"  There  is  only  one  thing,"  fays  Dr.  Neale, 
"  with  refpect  to  the  ufe  of  any  of  my  hymns  that 
has  grieved  me — the  rejection  of  the  noble  mel- 
ody of  the  Alleluiatic  Sequence,  and  that  for 
a  third-rate  chant.  What  would  be  (aid  of  chant- 
ing the  Dies  Ira  ?  And  yet  I  really  believe 
that  it  would  fuffer  lefs  than  does  the  CANTEMUS 
cuncti  by  fuch  a  fubftitution.  Further,  be  it 
noticed,  every  fentence — I  had  almoft  faid  every 


TZv  Alkluiatic  Sequence.  115 

word — of  the  verfion  was  carefully  fitted  to  the 
mulic,  and  the  length  of  the  lines  correfponds  to 
the  length  of  each  troparion  in  the  original." 

u  If  it  be  laid  that  the  original  melodv  is  diffi- 
cult, I  can  only  replv  that  I  have  frequently 
heard  it  fung  by  a  choir  of  children,  of  ages 
varying  from  four  to  fourteen  ;  and  never  more 
prettily  than  when,  without  any  accompaniment 
at  all,  in  the  open  fields — the  very  frnall  ones 
joining  in  for  the  greater  part  with  the  whole  of 
their  little  energy." — Mediaval  Hymns. 


n6  The  Alleluiatic  Sequence 


CANTEMUS    CUNCTI. 


GODESCALCUS. 


C 


ANTEMUS  cuncti  melodum  nunc 

Alleluia. 

ii.    In  laudibus  aeterni  regis  haec  plebs  reful- 
tet  Alleluia. 


hi.    Hoc    denique    coeleftes    chori   cantent   in 
altum  Alleluia. 

iv.    Hoc  beatorum  per  prata  paradifiaca  pfallat 
concentus  Alleluia. 

v.    Quin  et  aftrorum  micantia  luminaria  jubi- 
lent  altum  Alleluia. 

vi.    Nubium    curfus,    ventorum    volatus,    ful 
gurum  coruscatio  et  tonitruum  fo- 
nitus  dulce  confonent  fimul 

Alleluia. 


The  Alleluiatic  Sequence.  lr 


THE    ALLELUIATIC    SEQUENCE. 


DR.     NEALE. 


THE  ftrain  upraife  of  joy  and  praife,  Alleluia, 
2.   To  the  glory  of  their  King 

Shall  the  ranfom'd  people  fing  Alleluia. 

3.  And  the  Choirs  that  dwell  on  high 

Shall  re-echo  through  the  fkv  Alleluia. 

4.  They  through  the  fields  of  Paradife  that  roam, 
The  bleffed  ones,  repeat  through  that  bright 

home  Alleluia. 

5.  The  planets  glitt'ring  on  their  heavenly  way, 
The  Alining  conftellations,   join,  and  fay 

Alleluia. 

6.  Ye  clouds  that  onward  fweep  ! 
Ye  winds  on  pinions  light  ! 

Ye  thunders,  echoing  loud  and  deep  ! 

Ye  lightnings,  wildly  bright  ! 

In  fweet  confent  unite  your  Alleluia. 


1 1 8  T/v  Alleluiatic  Sequence. 

vii.  Fluftus  et  undae,  imber  et  procellae,  tern- 
peftas  et  ferenitas,  cauma,  gelu, 
nix,  prunae,  faltus,  nemora  pan- 
gant  Alleluia. 

viii.    Hinc   variae   volucres   creatorem    laudibus 
concinite  cum  Alleluia. 

ix.    Aft  illic  refpondeant  voces  altae  diverfarum 
beftiarum  Alleluia. 

x.   Iftinc  montium  celfi  vertices  fonent 

Alleluia. 

xi.    Hinc  vallium  profunditates  faltent 

Alleluia. 

xii.   Tu  quoque  maris   jubilans  abvffe  die 

Alleluia. 

xiii.   Nee  non  terrarum  molis  immenfitates  : 

Alleluia. 

xiv.  Nunc  omne  genus  humanum  laudans  ex- 
ultet  :  Alleluia. 

xv.    Et  creatori  grates  frequentans  confonet  : 

Alleluia. 

vi.    Hoc    denique   nomen    audire    jugiter   dc- 

le6tatur  •  Alleluia. 


^Tbe  Alleluiatic  Sequence.  1 1 9 

7.  Ye  floods  and  ocean  billows  ! 
Ye  ftorms  and  winter  mow  ! 
Ye  days  of  cloudlefs  beauty  ! 
Hoar  froft  and  fummer  glow  ! 
Ye  groves  that  wave  in  fpring, 

And  glorious  forefts,  fing  Alleluia. 

8.  Firft  let  the  birds,  with  painted  plumage  gay, 
Exalt  their  great  Creator's  praife,  and  fay 

Alleluia. 

9.  Then  let   the  beafts  of  earth,  wTith   varying 

ftrain, 
Join  in  Creation's  Hvmn,  and  cry  again 

Alleluia. 

10.  Here  let  the  mountains  thunder  forth,  fono- 

rous,  Alleluia. 

1 1 .  There,  let  the  valleys  fing  in  gentler  chorus, 

Alleluia. 

12.  Thou  jubilant  abyfs  of  ocean,  crv      Alleluia. 

13.  Ye  traces  of  earth  and  continents,  reply 

Alleluia. 

14.  To  God,  who  all  Creation  made, 

15.  The  frequent  hymn  be  dulv  paid  :     Alleluia. 

16.  This    is   the    ftrain,   the    eternal    ftrain,   the 

Lord  of  all  things  loves  :      Alleluia. 


120  The  Alleluiatic  Sequence. 

xvii.    Hoc    etiam    carmen    coelefte    comprobat 
ipfe  Chriftus  :  Alleluia, 

xviii.    Nunc  vos  focii  cantate  laetantes  : 

Alleluia, 
xix.   Et  vos  pueruli  refpondete  femper 

Alleluia. 
xx.   Nunc  omnes  canite  fimul  Alleluia  dom- 
ino, Alleluia   Chrifto  pneumatique 
Alleluia. 

xxi.   Laus  Trinitati  aeternae  in  babtifmo  domini 

quae  clarificatur  :   Hinc  canamus  : 

Alleluia. 


The  Alleluiatic  Sequence.  121 

17.  This    is    the    long,  the    heav'nly   long,   that 

Christ  Himfelf  approves  :    Alleluia. 

18.  Wherefore   we  fing,  both   heart    and    voice 

awaking,  Alleluia. 

19.  And  children's  voices  echo,  anfwer  making, 

Alleluia. 

20.  Now  from  all  men  be  out-pour'd 
Alleluia  to  the  Lord  ; 

With  Alleluia  evermore 

The  Son  and  Spirit  we  adore. 

21.  Praife  be  done  to  the  Three  in  One. 

Alleluia!   Alleluia!   Alleluia!    Alleluia! 


122  Appendix. 

APPENDIX. 


The  concluding  lines  of  the  extract  given  at 
page  4,  are  in  the  original  : 

"  Si  tua  nuncia  praevenit  uncia,  furge,  fequaris  j 
Expete  limina,  nulla  gravamina  jam  verearis. 
Si  d-itur  uncia,  ftat  prope  gratia  Pontificalis  \ 
S:n  procul  haec  valet,  haec  tibi  lex  manet  eft  fchola  talis." 

The  ninth  and  tenth  ftanzas  of  the  Stabat 
Mater  are  more  literallv  rendered  in  the  fol- 
lowing than  in  the  verfion  of  Lord  Lindfav. 
Thev  alfo  mow  the  inability  of  the  Englifh 
double  rhyme  to  exprefs  the  pathos  which  in- 
verts the  Latin. 

"  Let  me  with  His  ftripes  be  rended  5 
Let  me  by  His  blood  be  cleanfed — 

Looking  to  the  Crucified. 
Then,  O  Virgin,  by  thee  lighted, 
Wakenei,  warmed,  aroufei,  excited, 

For  the  judgment  landlihed. 

"  Let  me  by  the  Crofs  directed, 
By  the  death  of  Christ  protected, 

See  below  His  glory  far. 
Then,  this  body  mouldering,  riven — 
Then  be  to  my  fpirit  given 

Pc.radijl  Gloria  /" 


